The number of asylum seekers residing in 'non-hotel' accommodations in the United Kingdom has risen to 73,068, according to Home Office data for the year ending June 2026. This figure represents a 3% increase from the previous year, with individuals housed in shared homes, flats, and military bases.
Simultaneously, the number of asylum seekers remaining in hotels has fallen by 50% to 16,021. This marks the lowest number recorded since the data collection began in 2022. The total number of hotels utilized has decreased to under 160, a significant reduction from a peak of approximately 400 under the previous Conservative government. This shift is part of the Labour government's commitment to cease the use of hotels for asylum seekers by the end of the current parliamentary term, with an additional 13 hotels closing earlier this month.
In the year to June 2026, a total of 85,891 individuals applied for asylum in the UK, a decrease of 21% compared to the 108,585 applications in the preceding year. This is the lowest 12-month total since the year ending June 2022, when 75,668 applications were filed.
Asylum seekers arriving via small boats crossing the English Channel constituted 40% of the total claims in the year to June 2026, with 33,949 individuals. More than half of all asylum seekers arrived through irregular routes, such as small boat crossings, while 41% of claimants had previously held a visa or other form of leave to enter the UK. The primary nationalities for asylum claimants during this period were Eritrean, Sudanese, Afghan, Somali, and Iranian.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the figures demonstrate the government's progress in "restoring control at our border and fairness to the migration system." She highlighted a reduction in the asylum backlog, a decrease in asylum seekers housed in hotels, record levels of illegal working arrests, and a marked increase in deportations and returns. While acknowledging a decline in small boat arrivals, Ms. Mahmood emphasized that the government remains vigilant and is taking further action. This includes increased enforcement on French beaches and overseas, alongside new legislation aimed at deterring irregular and unsafe routes.