Charities take Home Office to court over ‘prison-like’ overcrowded migrant hotels
Home Office taken to court over claims of ‘prison-like’ asylum hotels
- Two charities, The Helen Bamber Foundation and Freedom from Torture, are taking the Home Office to court over its asylum accommodation policies.
- They accuse the government of forcing trafficking and torture survivors to share rooms with strangers in overcrowded, 'prison-like' hotels, putting them at risk of serious harm.
- The legal challenge concerns policy changes introduced in early 2024 by the previous Conservative government and upheld by the current Labour administration, which the charities argue fundamentally altered how asylum seekers are housed.
- Survivors, including Jacob and Mwa Mbuyi Kapinga, have recounted experiences of severe mental distress, re-traumatisation, and suicidal thoughts due to these living conditions.
- The charities contend that the Home Office failed to consult stakeholders and adequately assess the impact of these changes on vulnerable individuals, breaching its duty.