[Glenn.]

Illegal immigrants aren’t housed by the government. Except the ones in detention centres.

This may help clarify it for you


1. Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs)
•Secure detention facilities.
•Used to hold people:
•Awaiting deportation.
•Who have overstayed visas.
•Whose asylum claims have been refused.
•There are currently 7 IRCs in the UK (e.g. Harmondsworth, Yarl’s Wood).
•Capacity: Around 2,000 people total.

⸻

2. Hotels and Temporary Accommodation (if asylum claimed)

If someone enters illegally but claims asylum, they are no longer considered illegal. While their claim is processed, they may be placed in:
•Hotels (e.g. budget chains) due to a shortage of housing.
•Dispersal accommodation (shared houses or hostels across the UK).
•Managed by contractors like Serco, Mears, or Clearsprings.
•In 2023, over 50,000 asylum seekers were living in hotels, costing taxpayers £8 million per day.

⸻

3. If not detained or claiming asylum

Illegal migrants who are:
•Not in detention
•Not claiming asylum
•Often live informally:
•Sofa-surfing
•With friends or relatives
•In overcrowded or unsafe housing
•Sometimes homeless or working illegally for shelter