Rachel Reeves has made it crystal clear that the Government will aim to deport migrants who have no legal right to remain in the UK once they’re removed from the hotels currently housing them. Speaking in a spending review that’s sure to stir debate, the Chancellor laid out plans to stop using asylum hotels altogether, calling the system costly and unsustainable.
In a chat with GB News, Reeves didn’t hold back. When asked by Christopher Hope whether migrants would simply be moved into community housing after being turfed out of hotels, she said the Government’s focus is on sending people back to their countries if they shouldn’t be here.
“I want to deport anyone who hasn’t got a right to be in this country,” she said. “We have increased deportations substantially since we came to office, and that is the right thing to do. If people don’t have a right to be in this country, they should be sent back home.”
It’s a firm stance, and one that will raise eyebrows among critics and campaigners. GB News’s Home and Security Editor Mark White noted that around 38,000 migrants are currently living in these hotels, with the majority reportedly in the UK illegally.
Reeves doubled down on the Government’s position, saying, “The idea is to deport anybody who does not have a right to be in this country. That is how we can make the commitment today to end the use of asylum hotels in this Parliament.”
When she stood in the Commons earlier today, she reiterated the point to MPs, confirming: “I can confirm today that led by the work of my right honourable friend the Home Secretary, we will be ending the costly use of hotels to house asylum seekers in this Parliament.”
She framed the decision as “the Labour choice” and said it reflected the will of the British public. Instead of pouring more money into hotel accommodation, Reeves promised funding would be redirected to tackle the asylum case backlog, speed up appeal hearings, and deport those who aren’t eligible to stay.
It’s no small cost being cut either. The Government shelled out a massive £3.1 billion on hotel stays for asylum seekers in 2023-24, which made up a huge chunk of the total £4.7 billion asylum support bill.
To bolster border control efforts, Reeves also announced that up to £280 million a year would go to the Border Security Command by the end of the review period. That comes on top of the £150 million already used to get the unit off the ground last year. It’s the team leading the charge against people smuggling and the rise in small boat crossings.
Meanwhile, Channel arrivals haven’t let up. This week alone saw more people arriving on the shores of Dover, bringing the 2025 total so far to 14,812 – already higher than any previous six-month record.
Despite the pledges, challenges remain. The Home Office budget is expected to fall slightly in real terms in the years ahead, and officials are piloting new accommodation ideas, like moving asylum seekers to old tower blocks or student flats, ahead of major housing contract reviews next year.
There’s also pressure within the ranks, with recent reports of budget tensions between Reeves and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, though Downing Street has dismissed talk of any resignations.
The scale of the task ahead is clear, but Reeves seems determined to see through what she says is both a financial and moral obligation.
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