Hundreds Charged in UK Asylum Hotels Over 3 Years

Investigations indicate that over the past three years, at least 312 asylum seekers living in taxpayer-funded UK hotels have been charged with 708 alleged offences, including rape, sexual assault, robbery, and violent attacks, across 70 of 220 hotels. One central London hotel alone accounted for more than 90 charges against 41 migrants. Although these cases have sparked intense political debate and calls for stricter deportation measures, available data show that about 1% of asylum hotel residents appeared in court this year—about half the rate of the general UK population. Critics argue that incomplete data from the Home Office and the lack of routine crime statistics for asylum seekers hinder a clear understanding of the issue. The revelations have raised concerns about public safety and the costs associated with housing asylum seekers. However, proportionally, criminal charges among asylum seekers in hotels are not significantly higher than in the wider population.