Two hotels housing asylum seekers in Cumbria will close as the Prime Minister pledged to end a backlog of applications

Two hotels used as accommodation for asylum seekers in Cumbria are expected to close.

Across the UK, there are 175,000 people from all over the world waiting to find out whether the government will allow them to remain in the UK. Some of these asylum seekers live in hotels and others in shared accommodation.

In Cumbria, the Waverley Hotel in Whitehaven and the Cumbria Park Hotel in Carlisle were used to accommodate people coming to this country. The Prime Minister said he would clear the backlog of asylum seekers by the end of the year. If approved, thousands will need to find a place to live, and fast.

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Few believe the backlog will be cleared entirely, but in an attempt to bring down the numbers, the Home Office has ramped up its decision-making process, more than doubling the number of caseworkers who decide whether to approve or reject claims, according to The Guardian. Manchester Evening News.

Last week, the Immigration Minister also announced that hotels housing asylum seekers at a cost of £8 million a day would no longer be used for this purpose, and the first 50 hotels would be vacated by the end of January. In Cumbria, the Cumbria Park Hotel is set to close as is the Waverley Hotel in Whitehaven.

During a statement to the House of Commons, MP Robert Jenrick said the “exit” would begin in the coming days, with other hotel contracts expiring by January. The Waverley Hotel in Whitehaven is among the first tranche of 50 hotels that will close by the end of January 2024.

The Minister stressed that dedicated resources have been allocated to facilitate the organized and effective management of the operation, thus limiting its impact on local communities.

Copeland MP Trudi Harrison said: “Following on today’s announcement by Minister Robert Jenrick, I am pleased that there has been a successful outcome and that the Waverley Hotel will no longer be used to house asylum seekers.

“I would now very much like to see the Waverley Hotel used as a hotel to help with the mission of ensuring that Whitehaven becomes a favored tourist destination and that we encourage the millions of visitors who come to the Lake District to travel to the city and other areas in my constituency to enjoy and celebrate all that we have to offer.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The backlog of asylum cases fell by more than 35,000 between the end of November 2022 and the end of August 2023, and has continued to fall since the last publication of statistics. We are confident that with increased capacity and improved efficiency, this will help achieve more. of significant production in the coming months.

Asked about the impact on homelessness, a Home Office spokesperson added: “The pressure on the asylum system has continued to grow, which is why we have taken immediate action to speed up processing times and reduce costs for taxpayers. To reduce the risk of homelessness, we encourage individuals to make their future plans as soon as possible after receiving their decision, whether that is leaving the UK after being rejected, or taking steps to integrate into the UK after receiving a grant.

“We provide adequate support once claims are granted through Migrant Assistance, access to the labor market and advice on applying for Universal Credit.”