LONDON — The UK Home Office has formally announced that 13 more hotels previously used to house asylum seekers have been closed and returned to local communities.
The latest wave of closures follows 11 hotel exits in April and 20 in June, bringing the total number of operational asylum hotels down to fewer than 160—a substantial decline from the peak of nearly 400.
Key Highlights & Financial Breakdown
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Taxpayer Savings: According to figures released by GOV.UK, the closure of these 13 properties is projected to save taxpayers £51 million, bringing total expected savings from 2026 hotel exits to £224 million.
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Shift to Alternative Sites: The Home Office is transitioning accommodation arrangements away from commercial hotels toward larger, basic sites—including former Ministry of Defence (MOD) properties such as MOD Bicester, MOD Barnham, and MOD Linton-on-Ouse.
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Economic Boost for Local Towns: Properties returned to normal commercial use include landmark sites such as the historic Grand Metropole Hotel on Blackpool’s Promenade and the Grade II-listed Grosvenor Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, enabling them to resume hosting tourists and supporting local businesses.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ UK ASYLUM HOTEL CLOSURE METRICS SUMMARY │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Recent Batch Exited : 13 Hotels (August 2026) │
│ • Total Active Hotels : Fewer than 160 (Down from peak ~400) │
│ │
│ • Direct Batch Savings : £51 Million │
│ • Cumulative 2026 Savings: £224 Million │
│ │
│ • Transition Strategy : Relocation to MOD military bases & basic sites│
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Notable Hotels Exited in Latest Wave
As listed in the official update on GOV.UK, the 13 properties returning to local use include:
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Grand Metropole Hotel, Blackpool
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Grosvenor Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon
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Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Loughborough
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Chimney House Hotel, Sandbach
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Britannia Ashley Hotel, Hale
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Gold Thorn Hotel, Wolverhampton
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Nottingham Hotel, Nottingham
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Staycity Apartments Deptford Bridge, Lewisham
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Needham House, Hitchin
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Holiday Inn, Bridgwater
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Holiday Inn Express, Dunstable
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Dubrovnik Hotel, Bradford
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Brook Hotel, Norwich
Official Statement
Commenting on the closures, UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship Anna Turley stated as published by GOV.UK:
“For too long, communities have watched hotels at the centre of their towns and cities become symbols of a broken asylum system. We are turning that around by ending the use of asylum hotels for good and moving people into larger, basic accommodation like former military sites.” — Anna Turley, UK Immigration Minister
