Thank you for contacting me about housing refugees in hotels and Rwanda.
I appreciate your concern about the continued use of hotels to house those evacuated from Afghanistan. Indeed, this is an issue not just limited to Afghan nationals but rather the asylum system more broadly, with recent data indicating that the Home Office is spending over £4.5 million a day on housing asylum seekers in hotels.
Like you, I do not want to see asylum seekers in temporary accommodation for any longer than is necessary. I have been assured that the Government is working with local authorities across the UK to identify more opportunities for those being housed in bridging hotels to move into permanent accommodation.
As of 18 July 2022, the Home Office is providing temporary accommodation for around 9,500 individuals resettling in the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy or Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, whilst they await permanent accommodation. Over 7,000 Afghans have already moved or are in the process of being moved into their permanent accommodation. In addition, a number of Afghan families have in recent months taken steps to secure their own accommodation. The more offers of accommodation the Government receives from local authorities, the quicker they can move out of hotels.
We must do everything in our power to greatly reduce the number of dangerous and illegal boat crossings that are placing unsustainable pressures on our public services, whilst also reducing our capacity to support the most vulnerable with safe and legal routes to the UK.
That is why the Home Secretary has signed the migration and economic development partnership with Rwanda that you reference in your email. This partnership will see migrants that make the dangerous and illegal journey to the UK, often in small boats or hidden in lorries, have their asylum claims processed in Rwanda. Should their claims be accepted then they will be supported to build a new and prosperous life in Rwanda through the £120 million that the UK has committed to invest in the economic development and growth of Rwanda.
The UK has a proud history of helping those in need and I fully support the work that the Government has undertaken to welcome those feeling tyranny and persecution in their home country. From Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Hong Kong, this Government has done more than any other UK Government in recent history to provide vulnerable people with safe and legal routes. The newly announced partnership with Rwanda will greatly increase our capacity to help those most in need.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me about this important issue.