Reform Voices Alarm as UK Asylum Figures Reveal Growing Hotel Crisis Amid Channel Crossings Surge

Published: 21 August 2025 . The English Chronicle Desk

Newly released Home Office data has painted a stark picture of the pressures facing the United Kingdom’s asylum system, prompting urgent warnings from political commentators and opposition figures over what they describe as a rapidly escalating crisis. The figures reveal that the number of asylum seekers housed in hotels increased by 8 percent to 32,059 during Sir Keir Starmer’s first year in office, reflecting a continued surge in small boat arrivals across the English Channel.

Reform party spokesman Zia Yusuf has sharply criticised what he terms “soft touch Britain,” warning that the country’s immigration crisis is deepening under the current government. Speaking to the Express, Mr Yusuf described the situation as “dire,” arguing that the UK’s infrastructure is already stretched to capacity. “British people are generous, warmhearted, and welcoming, but they have had enough. Britain is full. We have no infrastructure to cope. People are being soaked in taxes to pay for all of these people to basically live a life of leisure at taxpayer expense,” he said.

The Home Office figures also show that the total number of people claiming asylum reached a record 111,084 in the year to June 2025, up 14 percent from 97,107 in the same period the previous year. This surpasses the previous 12-month record of 109,343 in March 2025. While small boat arrivals remain a central concern, deportations in the same period have fallen by seven percent to 2,330, raising questions about the government’s ability to deter illegal crossings and manage the backlog of pending asylum cases.

Critics, including Nigel Farage’s DOGE UK head, have voiced frustration at what they perceive as a system of incentives that encourage migrants to cross from France, a safe country, into the UK. “As soon as they get here, they are picked up by the British border force, taken to free hotels, provided meals, healthcare, and even trips to local attractions. Work legally if you want, but their entire life is effectively paid for,” he remarked, highlighting concerns over the potential for exploitation of the asylum system.

Mr Yusuf has called for urgent policy changes to reduce these incentives, including a withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights, an outcome he believes is unlikely under the current administration. “The only way to bring these figures under control is by removing the incentives that encourage this dangerous and costly behaviour,” he asserted.

In response, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised that the government inherited a “broken immigration and asylum system” from the previous administration. Cooper highlighted recent measures designed to restore control and efficiency, including increased enforcement and returns of failed asylum seekers, stricter visa controls, and reductions in asylum costs. “In the last 12 months, we have increased returns of failed asylum seekers by over 30 percent, cut asylum costs by 11 percent, and reduced the backlog by 18 percent. Our forthcoming reforms will overhaul the asylum appeal system, ensuring fairness and efficiency, and tackling the chaotic use of asylum hotels,” she said.

Cooper also stressed that the government is taking steps to manage legal migration while strengthening border security. Measures include a 48 percent reduction in work visas this year, new skill requirements, and the introduction of a pilot agreement with France to manage Channel crossings more effectively. Additional counter-terror powers and asylum reforms are planned for later this year to further streamline the system and address persistent delays in appeals.

As the UK grapples with record asylum claims, a rising number of migrants in temporary accommodation, and growing political debate, the latest figures underline the immense pressures facing the government and the urgent need for comprehensive immigration and asylum reforms. The debate over the balance between humanitarian obligations and effective border management remains at the forefront of UK politics, as policymakers, political commentators, and the public closely monitor developments in this unfolding crisis.