HOUSING illegal migrants in hotels on Christmas Day will cost more than £5.3million, figures reveal.
Some 36,000 arrivals are in hotels and analysis of Home Office data by the Tories found putting them up will cost £166million throughout December.
It is despite Labour vowing to end the use of such accommodation, including The Bell Hotel in Epping.
But new stats, recorded in September, show that since Sir Keir Starmer came to power, hotel occupancy has shot up by 6,688 — a 23 per cent rise.
Shadow Housing Secretary Chris Philp said: “Labour promised to smash the gangs and end asylum hotels, yet this Christmas nearly 40,000 asylum seekers will be waking up in taxpayer-funded hotel rooms.
“If illegal immigrants knew they would be sent straight home on arrival, they would not risk the journey in the first place.
“While families have been scrimping and saving to put on a good Christmas, Labour are taxing working people to bankroll ever more welfare spending and support for illegal immigrants.”
After 805 people crossed the Channel on Saturday, the annual total surpassed 41,000.
It’s the biggest daily tally since 8 October, when 1,075 crossings were logged.
The Home Office said: “We are furious at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels.
“This government will close every asylum hotel.
“Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities and cut asylum costs.
“We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across government so that we can accelerate delivery.”
