Home Office data reveals that more than 3,000 asylum-seeking children are currently living in hotels in London. Of these, 64 have been residing in hotels for over two

years. BBC London spoke with two parents living in a west London hotel to learn more about their experiences.

Leyla Williams, deputy director of the charity West London Welcome, noted that many asylum seekers struggle with digestion due to the hotel food provided by the Home Office. "There's a lot of issues around nutrition, particularly for pregnant women and parents with young children," she said. The hotel rooms lack cooking facilities, and asylum seekers are not allowed to work, relying on provided meals that often do not meet their dietary needs.

In response to the findings, the Conservative Party emphasized their plan to "stop the boats," claiming their policies reduced small boat crossings by over a third last year. A spokesperson reiterated, "Only the Conservatives have a clear plan to stop the boats."

Labour criticized the soaring asylum backlog and high costs of hotel accommodations, pledging to hire over 1,000 new caseworkers to expedite asylum decisions and end extensive hotel use. "Labour has a plan to speed up asylum decisions and end extortionate hotel use," the party stated.

The Liberal Democrats proposed establishing a dedicated unit to process asylum claims quickly and fairly, with a three-month service standard for all but the most complex cases. "We would end the asylum backlog with a new dedicated unit," they said.

The issue of asylum-seeking children living in hotels in London highlights the broader challenges within the UK's asylum system. As the political debate continues, the experiences of families like Carolina's and Aysha's underscore the urgent need for effective and humane solutions. Photo by Steve Cadman, Wikimedia commons.