The Home Office has promised a “big surge” in asylum hotel closures in the coming year, with five more hotels due to shut imminently.
According to recent briefings, the government wants to demonstrate progress on reducing hotel use, which it describes as “too costly and unsustainable.” Currently, approximately 32,000 asylum seekers are still accommodated across just under 200 hotels, but ministers say this number will decline further in the months ahead.
This announcement follows protests and continued legal action around hotel sites. While some councils have pushed back against hotels being used without planning permission, others are calling for more clarity on where displaced asylum seekers will go once hotels close.
Alternatives under development:
- Military bases such as Wethersfield are being expanded.
- Napier Barracks is due to close in September 2025, reducing one long-standing contingency site.
- Modular accommodation and dispersed housing contracts are being scaled up.
Infrastructure to Make Sites Workable
While accommodation blocks can be installed quickly, making them safe, weatherproof and connected requires additional infrastructure. This is where Protect Canopies adds value:
- Linking covered walkways so residents can move between accommodation, welfare and support facilities in all weather.
- Reception shelters to manage queues in an orderly and dignified way.
- Welfare canopies providing outdoor dining or recreation spaces.
By ensuring smooth movement and dignified queuing, our canopy systems support the government’s goal of creating purpose-built sites that function as communities, not just housing units.
