The need to house asylum seekers in hotels is more important than local objections to their presence, a UK court has been told.
The British government is appealing against a decision by a judge to stop the owner of a hotel from using the property to accommodate asylum seekers.
The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, became a flashpoint for local protests after an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
A judge granted an interim injunction to Epping Forest district council preventing Somani Hotels from using the property to accommodate asylum seekers beyond September 12.
The decision could throw the system of accommodating asylum seekers into chaos as other councils weigh up similar legal action in the face of opposition among local communities.
There are around 32,000 migrants in more than 200 UK hotels. The Labour government has promised to halt the use of such accommodation by the end of this Parliament.
The Home Office and Somani Hotels are both now seeking to challenge Mr Justice Eyre’s ruling at the Court of Appeal in London. The government department is also attempting to appeal against the judge’s decision not to let it intervene in the case.
In papers submitted to the court, Home Office lawyers said the Home Secretary represents the public interest for the entirety of the UK, whereas Epping Council represents local planning interests.
Edward Brown KC, for the Home Office, said the Court of Appeal should discharge that interim injunction and said it was “wrong” for Mr Justice Eyre not to allow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to intervene in the proceedings.
He argued that the decision “substantially interfered” with her legal obligation to house “very large numbers of, potentially, destitute asylum seekers”.
Mr Brown said the legal action taken by the council “was broadly speaking triggered by protests and arrests in the individual cases” and it had done nothing over the previous five years when asylum seekers had been housed there.
The protests outside the Bell Hotel were “not realistically” about planning, he said, claiming that they were instead “driven by a range of grievances, and they include animosity towards asylum seekers”.
“In the real world, it is not realistic to think that the objective of the protests is compliance with the planning regime,” Mr Brown said.
He said claims by Epping Forest district council about fear within the community of asylum seekers staying in hotels “arises from a very small number of specific incidents, which are acknowledged to be serious”.
But asylum seekers did not have a “greater propensity” to commit crime, he said. “That was not a conclusion that can or should have been reached at all, and we say was not one that Epping was able to advance,” Mr Brown added.
Becca Jones, director of asylum support at the Home Office, said in a witness statement that the department “understands that local residents have concerns about the use of the hotel, which have been heard”.
“However, those concerns must be viewed in the context of demands on the accommodation estate,” she added.
Philip Coppel KC, for Epping Forest District Council, said in written submissions that the judge who provided the injunction was not dismissing “the impact of the claim on the Secretary of State’s statutory duty to support asylum seekers”.
The mounting discontent over the use of asylum hotels is reflected in a recent poll that showed 71 per cent of voters believe Prime Minister Keir Starmer is handling the issue badly.
In contrast, the right-wing populist Reform party has seen its popularity surge on the back of a promises to end small boat crossings to the UK, including by deporting 600,000 illegal migrants.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
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• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method – usually used for eBay purchases – but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):
PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
– Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
