UK Gov’t to House Migrants on Cruise Ships as Hotel Expense Hits  £5.5 million Daily

The Home Secretary confirmed that the government is seriously considering using cruise ships to house asylum seekers.

Suella Braverman told the Lords’ home affairs committee that ships, as well as disused holiday parks, military sites, and student accommodation, are all being considered to help reduce reliance on hotels.

The expense of hotel rooms for asylum seekers awaiting decisions on their claims has now been estimated at £5.5 million per day. Ms Braverman stated that 117,000 people are currently being housed either in hotels or in local authority dispersal accommodation while waiting for an outcome on their asylum applications.

The Home Secretary asserted that her department would spend £3.5 billion on housing and support for asylum seekers in 2022/23.

Last week, the Prime Minister announced that former vacation parks, spare student housing, and military bases were all being considered as less expensive alternatives to renting out tens of thousands of hotel rooms.

When asked if alternative sites included decommissioned cruise ships, the Home Secretary said they were one possibility.

She told the Committee: “We will bring forward a range of alternative sites, they will include disused holiday parks, former student halls.”

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