Asylum seekers to be moved from Knowsley hotel at centre of riot under new government plans

A Knowsley hotel that saw violent protests and riots break out earlier this year will be one of the first to see asylum seekers moved out under new government plans.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick announced a programme to end contracts with 50 hotels housing asylum seekers by January 2024. Official figures show hiring these hotels cost the taxpayer a total of £8m a day.

Around 400 hotels are being used to house record numbers of asylum seekers, with the latest data reporting that 50,546 were in hotel accomodation at the end of June.

What happened at the Suites Hotel?

On the evening of February 10, police officers were facilitating a peaceful protest and counter protest at the Suites Hotel on Ribblers Lane, which accommodates asylum seekers.

A short while later a number of people, who were not part of the original protest group, turned up and missiles including lit fireworks were thrown at officers and a police van was attacked by offenders, using hammers before setting it on fire. An officer and two members of the public were injured.

A large number people were arrested by Merseyside Police, including a thirteen-year-old boy, as well as a number of people charged. Nineteen-year-old Jared Skeete was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to violent disorder. Police believe the incident was the result of false rumours and misinformation regarding an asylum seeker.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “Our area has been a sanctuary for people seeking refuge for centuries. The disturbing scenes in Knowsley aren’t representative of our area or its people. Hatred is not welcome here.”

Asylum seeker hotels

The use of asylum hotels in the UK has increased in recent years, with the latest data reporting that 50,546 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels at the end of June. 

While the Home Office has not revealed the locations of all hotels housing asylum seekers, immigration minister Robert said hotels in Knowsley and Harwich and North Essex would be among the first to stop taking asylum seekers, with exits from 50 hotels expected to be completed by January 2024. It has been confirmed that The Suites Hotel will be included in this first wave.

Announcing the news the House of Commons on Tuesday (October 24), Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said: “I can inform the House that today the Home Office wrote to local authorities and MPs to inform them that we will now be exiting the first asylum hotels. Hotels in all four nations of the UK.

“We will continue to deliver on our strategy to stop the boats and we will be able to exit more hotels. And as we exit these hotels, we are putting in place dedicated resource to facilitate the orderly and effective management of this process and limit the impact on local communities.”

According to information published by the Home Office, the first tranche of asylum hotels to be exited “is comprised of those hotels that have among the greatest impact on their communities, imposed the greatest cost to the taxpayer and are operationally deliverable in the coming weeks and months.”

What will happen to asylum seekers moved out hotels?

According to the Home Office, residents currently accommodated in the hotels will be moving to “other parts” of the government’s asylum estate, noting that all asylum accomodation is given on a ‘no choice’ basis.

In a statement, the Home Office explained: “They will be notified a minimum of five days in advance and moved by the Home Office in line with our existing published policies. We are providing additional resource to work with our accommodation providers and local partners to manage this process and minimise disruption, particularly on families.”