Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the appropriateness of the use of hotel accommodation for asylum seeking families that include children with severe mental health issues or autism; and if she will review the use of hotel accommodation in such circumstances.

Hotels are an appropriate means of providing adequate accommodation in order to meet our legal obligations to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. Our published asylum support healthcare needs and pregnancy dispersal policy sets out that if an applicant’s healthcare need requires the urgent provision of dispersal accommodation, the application for support should be prioritised wherever possible. This guidance also provides guidelines on dispersal for those with mental health issues.

The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/496911/new_Healthcare_Needs_and_Pregnancy_Dispersal_Policy_EXTERNAL_v3_0.pdf.