UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Home Secretary Yvette Cooper says Labour inherited a broken immigration system as Home Office data shows asylum hotel numbers rose 8% this year.
As reported by The Independent, Yvette Cooper said government moves to curb asylum numbers are key to “restoring order.”
Her remarks came after Home Office figures showed asylum seekers in UK hotels rose 8% under Labour compared to last year. It indicates that the number of asylum seekers in UK hotels fell slightly from 32,345 in March to 32,059 in June 2025.
Yvette Cooper’s views on the latest asylum figures
Commenting on Home Office statistics, Yvette Cooper said Labour oversaw more returns of failed asylum seekers and cut asylum spending.
She stated,
“We inherited a broken immigration and asylum system that the previous government left in chaos. Since coming to office, we have strengthened Britain’s visa and immigration controls, cut asylum costs and sharply increased enforcement and returns, as today’s figures show.”
Ms Cooper said,
“The action we have taken in the last 12 months – increasing returns of failed asylum seekers by over 30 per cent, cutting asylum costs by 11 per cent, reducing the backlog by 18 per cent and our forthcoming plans to overhaul the failing asylum appeal system – are crucial steps to restoring order and putting an end to the chaotic use of asylum hotels that we inherited from the previous government.”
The home secretary stated,
“At the same time, we are bringing legal migration back under control, with a 48 per cent reduction in work visas this year – and further stronger visa controls and higher skill requirements introduced through our White Paper expected to bring those overall numbers down further.”
She added,
“As we roll out further reforms, including the new pilot with France, new counter terror powers to strengthen border security and new asylum reforms later this year (including reforms to speed up the persistent delays in the appeals system), we will continue to take the serious steps required to restore order, control and fairness to the system, and to continue building the foundations of a new and stronger approach.”
What do Home Office figures show about asylum hotel numbers under Labour?
Home Office figures reveal an 8% increase in asylum seekers in UK hotels. By the end of June, 32,059 asylum seekers were in UK hotels.
The figures revealed that numbers increased from 29,585 last year but fell slightly from 32,345 in March.
The number of asylum seekers in British hotels remains below the September 2023 high under the previous government. Thursday’s data shows migrants crossing dangerously made up 39% of UK asylum claims to June.
Around 28,000 people have crossed the Channel to reach Britain in 2025, a record since 2018. A separate figure showed that UK government spending on asylum has fallen by 12%.
The number of pending asylum applications in the UK has dropped 18% from last year, falling to around 70,000 cases.
UK spending on asylum in 2024-25
The UK spent £4.76bn on asylum in 2024-25, a 12% drop from £5.38bn in 2023-24, Home Office figures reveal.
The figure includes all Home Office asylum costs, from cash support and housing to staffing and wider migration and border operations.
Hotel costs for asylum seekers are not published. A National Audit Office report found they made up around 76% of accommodation and support spending. This totalled £1.3bn of £1.7bn in 2024/25.
What did Enver Solomon say about the asylum system and hotel use?
Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, stated,
“Bringing the asylum system back from the brink of collapse is a genuine achievement in the government’s first year. The increase in asylum decisions means refugees can begin to rebuild their lives sooner, and the use of costly hotels can be ended faster.”
What did Nigel Farage say about the rise in asylum seekers and public anger?
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage slammed the government and past administrations over the rise in asylum hotel placements.
Responding to the Home Office data, he said,
“Under Labour, we now have record numbers claiming asylum. The vast majority should never qualify, and most will cost the taxpayer a huge sum of money.”
Mr Farage added,
“Our streets are becoming more dangerous, yet this disaster gets worse. The public is right to be very angry with both Labour and the Tories for what they have done to us.”
What did Chris Philp say about Labour’s handling of borders and asylum hotels?
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Labour has “lost control of Britain’s borders” after new data was published.
He said,
“Labour has presided over the worst year on record for Channel crossings, with nearly 28,000 people already arriving illegally in 2025, up 47 per cent on last year and the highest figure ever recorded.”
Mr Philp added,
“At the same time, numbers in asylum hotels are back up to 32,059, higher than at the time of the election. Compare that to the nine months before the election, when the Conservatives cut numbers in hotels by 47 per cent and shut almost 200 sites. At our pace of closure, the hotels would already be gone, but numbers in hotels have gone up under Labour.”
He added,
“Only the Conservatives have a plan to fix this by deporting every illegal arrival and sending the smugglers scurrying back into the shadows. But Labour voted against our measures to do this in Parliament just a few weeks ago.”
Illegal migrants in the UK in 2025
By June 2025, the UK saw 49,341 irregular arrivals, mostly via small boats. Most came from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Sudan, and Syria, with adult males making up 75%.
Children under 18 accounted for 16% of arrivals. Returns remain low, with only around 5,000 sent back since 2018, mostly to Albania.