Parliamentary report finds 40 children still missing from UK asylum hotels

A joint parliamentary committee on human rights has reported that 40 children who went missing from UK asylum hotels in 2023 remain unaccounted for. The report, published on Thursday, highlights that while 432 of the 472 missing children have been located, the committee is “extremely concerned” about the remaining group, two of whom are believed to still be under 18. The committee has called on the Home Office to clarify specific actions being taken to locate these children and to provide updates every three months.

The figures were provided to the committee by Helen Waite, a director of children’s social care at the Department for Education, who testified in June that 472 children had gone missing in total. Waite stated that guidance had been issued to police to ensure continued efforts to locate the missing children and update records. The report notes that in 2023, it emerged that more than 440 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children had gone missing from Home Office hotels, with some reported to be as young as 12.

The committee’s findings come amid broader scrutiny of the social care system for young adults. Angela Eagle, then border security and asylum minister, noted in a letter to the committee last year that some found children were “located in exploitative situations and may have been trafficked or victims of other forms of exploitation”. The High Court ruled in 2023 that the Home Office’s routine use of hotels to house lone child asylum seekers was unlawful, a decision the government at the time attributed to an unsustainable rise in illegal Channel crossings.

In a related development, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) gave the UK government its lowest ranking for upholding asylum seekers’ rights. The watchdog cited “gaps in social security provisions” and “failures to provide protection from poverty and destitution” in the treatment of new arrivals. Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, the EHRC chair, stated that when the government fails to protect the rights of one group, it puts everyone’s rights at risk.

Officials have also criticised the government’s decision to end a programme designed to help refugees with CV writing and interview skills after just two years. Additionally, the government revoked its legal duty to support asylum seekers at risk of destitution this year. Patricia Durr, chief executive of Every Child Protected Against Trafficking UK, described the situation as a “significant child protection failure” and supported the committee’s call for regular public reporting.

The number of asylum hotels is currently decreasing, with 13 hotels closing this month to bring the total below 160, down from a peak of about 400. These closures are expected to save taxpayers £51m. Labour has pledged to stop using asylum hotels completely by the next election, while ministers increase the use of more basic sites, including former military barracks.