ASYLUM-SEEKERS should be allowed to work and arrange their own accommodation, a leading anti-racist campaigner said today.

Stand Up to Racism co-convener Sabby Dhalu made the call as she urged the government to resist Reform leader Nigel Farage’s “detain and deport” calls.

Ministers have been bracing for further legal challenges from councils across England after the High Court ruled that asylum-seekers should be removed from a hotel in Epping, Essex, over a lack of planning permission on Tuesday.

Mr Farage responded by calling for more anti-migrant protests and said that 12 Reform-run councils will seek similar injunctions.

Tory-run Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire said that it would seek a similar ruling today.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said that the government is working on contingency plans for housing asylum-seekers following the decision.

Asked whether other hotels have the proper planning permission, he said: “Well, we’ll see over the next few days and weeks.

“I think the important point to make is that nobody really thinks that hotels are a sustainable location to accommodate asylum-seekers.”

The government has vowed to phase out the use of hotels for migrant accommodation by the end of this Parliament.

Ms Dhalu said: “Ideally asylum-seekers should have the right to work, earn their own money and organise their own accommodation. 

“Wherever the government decides to house those leaving Epping, it’s vital that they are safe and not subjected to racist violence, harassment and intimidation. 

“We also urge the government to resist the call from Nigel Farage to ‘detain and deport’ them. Britain must uphold the right to asylum.” 

Natasha Tsangarides, Associate Director of Advocacy at Freedom from Torture said: “No matter who we are or where we come from, we all have the right to feel safe. Every day in our therapy rooms we see the impact that unsafe and inappropriate accommodation has on those who've fled unimaginable horrors like torture and war. From our clinical work we know only too well how crucial it is for survivors to feel safe – it's the foundation for their recovery.

“Hotels have become flash points for hate and intimidation. We urgently need political leaders to take a stand against divisive rhetoric and stop fanning the flames of hatred. Many of the men, women, and children in hotels like the Bell Hotel have come here seeking protection after enduring persecution or torture in countries like Afghanistan and Iran. They deserve to live in safety and dignity so they can recover and rebuild their lives as part of our communities.”

The latest Home Office data showed there were 32,345 asylum-seekers being housed temporarily in UK hotels at the end of March.

This was down 15 per cent from the end of December, when the total was 38,079, and 6 per cent lower than the 34,530 at the same point a year earlier.

New figures showing numbers in hotels at the end of June are expected tomorrow.

Figures for hotels published by the Home Office date back to December 2022 and showed numbers hit a peak at the end of September 2023 when there were 56,042 asylum-seekers in hotels.