Migrants inside UK hotel complain that free chicken nuggets and chips are making them ill

Asylum seekers living in hotels across the UK say the free meals they are given are making them sick. Many complain that the food is cheap, repetitive, and unhealthy, often just chicken nuggets and chips, which causes stomach pain and other health problems.

Because of this, some residents have started secretly cooking in their rooms with small electric cookers, even though it’s against the rules and dangerous.

A BBC investigation visited four of these hotels during the summer and found that nearly everyone had the same complaints about the food. One man, Kadir, who came from Iraq with his family and has been in the UK for nine years, said the meals were “just chips and chicken nuggets” and that many people felt unwell after eating them. To avoid this, residents use extension cables and even cover smoke alarms so they can cook in secret.

The Home Office, which is in charge of asylum housing, said the food provided meets official nutrition standards, but it didn’t directly respond to the health concerns raised.

At the moment, there are around 32,000 asylum seekers staying in these hotels, which is fewer than the 51,000 in 2023. The government has announced that by 2029 they want to stop using hotels for asylum seekers altogether, as the costs are too high and protests keep breaking out near these sites.

In August 2025, there were demonstrations outside a hotel in Epping, Essex, after a resident was convicted of sexual assault. Protesters carried England flags and signs that said “Protect Our Children.” Families living inside the hotels, many with young children, watched in fear.

Some of these children were even born in the UK while their parents waited years for asylum decisions. One Somali father wrongly believed his newborn would automatically become a British citizen. Refugee support groups explained that although children are given some protections, deportation can still happen.

Many asylum seekers are struggling to survive on their weekly allowance of £9.95. Some, like Mohammed from Afghanistan, admitted to working illegally for very low pay to send money back home or repay smugglers.

Staff at the hotels have noticed residents leaving at odd times and using delivery bikes and vans. In July 2025, the Home Office carried out raids that led to 280 arrests of asylum seekers working illegally, with over 50 of them having their support reviewed.

Other issues include extremely high taxi costs when asylum seekers are sent to medical appointments. Kadir described one journey that cost £600 for a single hospital visit. Security guards said that boredom is another problem, as people have nothing meaningful to do, which sometimes pushes them to seek illegal work.

Children also suffer. Kadir’s 12-year-old daughter, Shayan, said she and her friends feel afraid when protesters surround their buses, not knowing if they might attack. She wondered why the protesters were even angry at the children.

The BBC reported that some families, such as an elderly couple with health problems, still try to help others in the hotels, but many, like Kadir’s family, are constantly moved from one place to another, never feeling settled. Kadir’s family recently refused a relocation that would have split them between cities 200 miles apart, which could leave them homeless or without benefits.

The Home Office admitted it does not have records of how many children have been born in the hotels or how much money is spent on taxis. It insisted that the meals provided are “balanced and culturally appropriate where possible.”

Refugee charities argue that the poor food and long waiting times make people’s mental health worse. They are calling for better treatment and living conditions. Meanwhile, asylum claims continue to rise, with small boats still arriving across the Channel. For now, the government has made no promises to change the food or hotel system anytime soon.