The Home Office has released figures showing the number of asylum seekers currently housed across local areas throughout the United Kingdom.
In the London Borough of Croydon, 577 people were accommodated in temporary hotel accommodation at the end of June 2025.
This was a drop from March 2025, when 751 people were being housed.
This means 174 people were either moved into longer-term accommodation, transferred to other boroughs, or no longer required temporary hotel placements.
Compared with other south London boroughs, Croydon currently has the highest number of asylum seekers in hotel accommodation.
Southwark follows Croydon, with 431 people in temporary hotel accommodation, making it the second highest in south London.
Lambeth is not far behind, housing 366 asylum seekers at the end of June 2025.
Merton has a smaller number, with 194 people accommodated in hotels.
The numbers in Bromley and Kingston upon Thames are significantly lower, at 48 and 47, respectively.
Meanwhile, the remaining south London boroughs, including Greenwich, Sutton, Wandsworth, Richmond upon Thames, and Bexley, currently have no asylum seekers housed in hotel accommodation.
Asylum seekers are people who have fled their home countries because of conflict, persecution, or fear for their safety.
On arrival in the UK, many are placed in temporary accommodation such as hotels while their claims are assessed and longer-term housing is arranged.
Councils work alongside the Home Office to provide support to asylum seekers during this period, ensuring access to basic services, healthcare, and education where required.
Hotel placements are intended to be a temporary solution, though they have attracted criticism from campaigners and some residents, who argue that more permanent housing solutions are needed.
