Why are British hotels at the centre of immigration protests?

The current United Kingdom (UK) government is grappling with mounting pressure over its handling of asylum accommodation, as hotels housing migrants have become a flashpoint for protests.

A landmark UK High Court decision this week ordered that asylum seekers be moved out of the Bell Hotel in Epping, a town northeast of London.

The Epping case emerged after weeks of tensions, sparked when an asylum seeker living at the Bell Hotel was charged with sexual assault.

He has denied the allegation, but the incident became a lightning rod for anti-immigration activists, who staged regular demonstrations outside the property. Police were required to maintain order as opposing groups clashed at the site, resulting in 16 arrests linked to disorder.

Epping District Council pursued legal action on the grounds that using the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers breached planning rules and aggravated community divisions.

UK High Court Judge Stephen Eyre sided with the council, instructing contractors to relocate residents by mid-September.

The ruling marked a potential turning point, with other councils now considering whether to seek similar injunctions.

The UK Home Office opposed the injunction, warning that it would undermine the government’s statutory duty to provide accommodation for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.

Officials cautioned that if replicated nationwide, such legal outcomes could significantly disrupt the asylum system. Nonetheless, the court dismissed the government’s last-minute intervention.

UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis confirmed that an appeal would be lodged. “We’re going to close all asylum hotels in this Parliament,” he said, stressing that the phase-out must be “ordered and managed” rather than dictated by ad hoc rulings.

How UK came to rely on hotels for asylum housing

The use of hotels as asylum accommodation was not intended to be permanent. Until 2020, the government typically contracted private housing providers to rent flats and shared houses for asylum seekers. Hotels were only used temporarily in emergencies.

That approach shifted during the Covid-19 pandemic. Social distancing rules prompted the relocation of thousands of asylum seekers from shared housing into hotel rooms.

Evictions were paused, leaving many in limbo, while the number of Channel crossings by small boats surged dramatically in subsequent years.

By September 2023, the backlog of pending asylum claims had reached more than 119,000 people, up from 45,000 in 2018. Around one-third of these individuals were placed in hotels due to a lack of alternative housing.

Although the pandemic-driven policy had been described as temporary, it became an entrenched feature of Britain’s asylum system.

As of March this year, over 103,000 asylum seekers were being housed by the state, with roughly 32,000 still in hotels.

While the Labour government has reduced the number of hotels in use from more than 400 in mid-2023 to just over 210 today, campaigners, local councils, and residents remain dissatisfied.

The UK Home Office has stated its ambition to eliminate hotel use entirely by the end of the current Parliament, which runs until 2029 unless an early general election is called.

However, demand continues to exceed supply of long-term housing options such as rental homes, apartments and shared accommodation.

Analysts have noted that the pressure on the system reflects the broader housing shortage in the UK as a whole.

How Labour has responded

The Labour Party campaigned on a promise to end reliance on hotels for asylum accommodation.

Since taking office in 2024, it has accelerated the processing of asylum claims and expanded alternative housing schemes, leading to a reduction in hotel numbers.

Despite progress, ministers acknowledge the challenges of balancing community concerns, legal obligations, and logistical hurdles.

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper highlighted the need for a careful strategy, stating, “We agree with communities across the country that all asylum hotels need to close, including the Bell Hotel, and we are working to do so as swiftly as possible as part of an orderly, planned and sustained programme that avoids simply creating problems for other areas or local councils as a result of piecemeal court decisions or a return to the kind of chaos which led to so many hotels being opened in the first place.”

Dan Jarvis echoed this point, telling BBC that the asylum system must operate more efficiently. “The big challenge remains, which is, we need to process asylum claims much more speedily and much more effectively than was the case previously.”

The government has pledged to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament, but with migration numbers at record highs and accommodation capacity stretched, critics question whether the timetable is realistic.

How protests are on the rise

Protests outside asylum hotels have become increasingly common. The Bell Hotel has witnessed sustained demonstrations, sometimes turning confrontational. Police have had to intervene to separate anti-immigration groups from counter-protesters advocating for migrant rights.

Similar scenes have unfolded in other parts of England, including Merseyside, London, the Midlands, and the south coast. Far-right groups have played a role in mobilising opposition, publicising the locations of asylum hotels and promoting anti-migrant narratives on social media.

The Epping protests were organised through a Facebook group describing itself as a community initiative, but three of its four administrators were found to be members of the Homeland Party, a fringe white nationalist organisation, reported the New York Times.

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has urged people to continue campaigning against hotel accommodation.

In a Daily Telegraph column, he wrote: “Let’s hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win.” He acknowledged that such actions might be criticized, adding: “No doubt we will be attacked as ‘far Right’ provocateurs for daring to suggest that people follow the lead of Epping’s parents and residents by protesting peacefully.”

Reform UK, which controls 12 local authorities, has pledged to pursue legal routes wherever possible.

How asylum housing is linked to a history of violence

Authorities remain alert to the risk of violence at or near asylum hotels.

In October 2022, a man carried out a firebomb attack on a migrant processing centre in Kent before taking his own life, having previously expressed intentions to kill Muslim women and children.

In April 2024, an Eritrean asylum seeker was stabbed by a neo-Nazi outside a hotel near Worcester; the attacker was sentenced to life imprisonment after calling for further assaults on migrants.

In August 2024, widespread riots broke out in Yorkshire after false rumours spread online that the perpetrator of a triple murder in Southport was a Muslim asylum seeker.

The misinformation triggered unrest in multiple cities, with several hotels housing asylum seekers attacked by mobs.

These incidents have heightened government fears that unrest surrounding asylum accommodation could escalate further, particularly as far-right groups use social media to organise and spread disinformation.

Why immigration dominates British politics

Immigration has surged to the top of public concerns in Britain, surpassing even the economy, according to voter opinion trackers. With more than 27,000 arrivals by small boat this year alone, public frustration has intensified.

Opponents of the hotel system argue that it unfairly burdens local communities and places vulnerable populations at risk. They point to cases where asylum seekers have been accused of serious crimes, including sexual assault and rape.

Critics also highlight the contrast between state-funded accommodation for migrants and the struggles of British families facing rising living costs and a shortage of affordable housing.

Supporters of asylum seekers counter that far-right groups and opportunistic politicians are exploiting isolated incidents to inflame hostility.

They argue that most asylum seekers are fleeing persecution and conflict, and that the real issue lies in systemic delays in processing applications.

“We continue to work closely with police and community partners across the country, and discuss any concerns they have,” the UK Home Office has said. “The security of the local communities within which hotels are located will always be our first priority.”

The UK is not alone in facing protests against migrant housing.

Across Europe, governments have struggled to find adequate facilities for asylum seekers while managing public opposition.

In France, for example, far-right movements have mobilised against the opening of dedicated migrant centres.

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With inputs from agencies

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