ASYLUM CRISIS WRECKING OUR COMMUNITIES

Councils fear outbreaks of violence on Britain's streets Schools and housing markets overwhelmed as numbers rise

- Jonathan Walker and David Williamson

THE devastating impact of Britain's asylum crisis on communities across the UK has been exposed by desperate councils.

Schools and housing markets have been overwhelmed by would-be refugees sent across the country - with local authorities often given little or no notice.

It comes after the number of asylum seekers in expensive hotel accommodation rose to 38,079, despite Labour's general election promise to "end asylum hotels". This figure was up from 35,651 last September and 29,585 in June, before the Government came to power.

More than 28,000 people have reached the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats since Labour won the July 4 election.

Since the start of the year 5,025 people have arrived this way - 24 per cent more than had reached these shores by the Office to work with them and complained large numbers of people were being moved into areas without any warning.

They highlighted the damage caused to local economies by the use of hotels - but also warned businesses employed by the Government to find homes for asylum seekers were snapping up rental properties at prices residents could not afford.

Some authorities said they were battling to prevent a further outbreak of violence following the riots last summer.

The warnings came in a series of submissions to the Commons Home Affairs Committee, which was conducting an inquiry.

Spending on asylum accommodation and support shot up from £739million in 2019-20 to £4.7billion in 2023-24.

The Home Office has a policy of placing no more than one asylum seeker for every 200 residents, known as the "cluster limit".