A Newport hotel is reportedly being used to house asylum seekers. WalesOnline understands that the Home Office recently began using the hotel to house people applying for asylum in the UK.
The hotel, which is in Newport and is not being named for security reasons, is reported to be no longer be open to the public and it is no longer possible to book a room there online. It is understood some staff at the hotel were recently made redundant and that the Home Office has taken over its management.
An asylum seeker is someone who has been forcibly displaced and might have fled their home country because of war or other factors harming them or their family. They are often vulnerable and targeted by criminal gangs and traffickers.
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The Home Office is responsible for acquiring and managing all accommodation provided to asylum seekers in the UK which includes hotel accommodation in Wales. WalesOnline previously reported in September that a Cardiff hotel was also being used to accommodate asylum seekers. You can read more about that here.
Newport councillor Matthew Evans said he was recently made aware of the situation at the hotel in Newport. He told WalesOnline: "Whilst I appreciate there are those who do need housing I've heard unconfirmed rumours that staff have been told to vacate the premises as well. Clearly there are some serious questions as to why this is happening and what their job security is."
Cllr Evans also said situations where hotels are used to accommodate asylum seekers were often happening without residents or public representatives being aware and added: "There needs to be some communication with residents in the area and safeguards need to be in place around who is coming into Newport. There are other factors such as things like doctors' surgeries. It does need to be discussed openly and honestly."
A Home Office spokesman said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain. The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable – there are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6m a day. The use of hotels is a temporary solution and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation." To get more stories like this straight to your inbox, subscribe to our Wales Matters newsletter here.
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