Birmingham hotels currently house the third-highest number of asylum seekers in the UK, with 1,087 individuals in temporary accommodation as of December 31, 2025. This marks a decrease of 205 from 1,292 recorded on September 30, 2025.
National Decline in Hotel Usage
The total number of asylum seekers in UK hotels has reached its lowest level in 18 months, standing at 30,657 by the end of December 2025. This figure reflects a 15% drop from 36,273 at the end of September 2025. Hotel usage peaked at 56,018 in September 2023 before falling to 29,561 by June 2024.
Top Local Authority Rankings
Home Office data highlights the leading areas for asylum seekers in hotels:
- Hillingdon: 1,896 (down 229 from September)
- Hounslow: 1,466 (down 358)
- Birmingham: 1,087 (down 205)
- Croydon: 1,069 (up 235)
- Manchester: 979 (down 280)
West Midlands Figures
In nearby areas, Solihull reports 233 asylum seekers, down from 260. Walsall has none, while Wolverhampton counts 285, a reduction of 43 from 328. Sandwell has 233, decreased by 103 from 336, and Dudley records 76, down from 86.
Government Shifts to Alternative Housing
Officials announced in October 2025 plans to use barracks in Scotland and southern England for around 900 men, aiming to phase out hotel accommodations. Contingency sites excluding hotels hold 2,010 people, the lowest since December 2022. Approved asylum seekers move to dispersal accommodation, totaling 68,538 at year-end, up 4% from 65,707 in 2024.
Falling Applications and Backlog
Asylum applications dropped 4% to 100,625 in 2025 from 104,764 in 2024, the highest since records began in 2001. The backlog stands at 64,426 awaiting initial decisions as of December 2025, the lowest since September 2020’s 60,548.
A Home Office spokesperson stated the statistics “show real progress as we restore order and control to our borders.” They added that “too many hotels remain in use,” with the Home Secretary introducing reforms to address pull factors and increase removals.
Rise in Citizenship Applications
British citizenship applications hit 291,971 in 2025, the highest since 2002 records started. A 44% surge occurred in October-December to 90,555, linked to policy changes extending refugee settlement waits from five to 20 years. Grants totaled 235,782, down 13% from 2024’s 269,806.
