Yorkshire hotels housing Afghanistan refugees 'could still be needed for rest of 2022'

The stark news comes as the humanitarian crisis surrounding Ukrainian refugees visas deepened.

The Home Office refused to confirm this week how many families are still living in the bridging hotels, several of which are in Yorkshire, and all of which are without cooking and independent living facilities.

As of January some 12,000 people were still living in the hotels following the airlifts last year.

Those living in the hotels do not routinely have access to cars, and there are concerns around the long term mental health impact for residents.

One of the hotels in North Yorkshire is on the side of a busy dual carriageway, and a 50 minute walk to the nearest village, while another has been heavily criticised by guests on review websites for its cleanliness.

“I think a lot of us in the sector would be surprised if the Home Office managed to rehouse everyone in hotels who have already arrived by the summer.

“I’ll be amazed if they manage to get through everybody.

“We expect some hotels will still be in use probably throughout the year to meet some of the arrivals.

“The day to day living in a hotel room with a large family over months and months does take its toll on some people.

“And we’re worried that it’s more vulnerable families who will remain in hotels for the longest, because they’re the hardest to find properties for.”

Mr Wells said he believes one of the reasons the Government has not yet confirmed details of a wide asylum scheme for Ukrainians outside its friends and family route is because they could “end up in hotels.”

He said: “I think this is why the Home Office is hesitant to commit to a cohort of more refugees. We all know they’d end up in hotels and compound the problem.”

There is no suggestion from the Home Office that it plans to use hotels to house Ukrainians.

A spokesperson for the Home Office said: “More than 4,000 people have moved or are being moved into their new homes since the first flights in June and we are grateful for the support of local authorities – particularly those in Yorkshire – as we continue to secure permanent homes for Afghan families so they can settle and rebuild their lives.”

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the Government’s refugee response as “shambolic.”

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, she said: “I think part of the problem with the Home Office approach is they created all these delays and bureaucracy and made it really hard for people.

“They’ve had big, huge long delays and backlogs. This has been shambolic from the government.”

Ms Cooper has argued this week for less strict visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees.

Home Secretary Priti Patel was forced to u-turn on the need for biometrics from refugees before visa approval earlier this week.

A Government spokesperson said: “We are standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians which is why we’ve made it easier for those with Ukrainian passports to come here. This is alongside changes to visas to ensure Ukrainians in the UK can stay here.

“We have expanded our Visa Application Capacity to 13,000 a week, deployed additional staff across the EU, with a 24/7 helpline in place to ensure those who need appointments can get them to come here. This allows us to balance security risks while welcoming those in need.

“A new sponsorship route, which will allow Ukrainians with no family ties to the UK to be sponsored to come here is also being brought forward and all the measures we’ve put in place follow extensive engagement with Ukrainian partners. We will keep our support under constant review.

“Protecting the most vulnerable will always be our top priority. Through the Nationality and Borders Bill, we will ensure a firm but fair system, helping those in genuine need while tackling people smuggling gangs.”