Asylum hotel provider makes 180m profit despite claims of inedible food and rationed loo paper

Clearsprings Ready Homes has amassed nearly £187 million in profits from government contracts to accommodate asylum seekers, despite serious allegations of substandard conditions at its hotels. The company manages around 30,000 asylum seekers across southern England and Wales and has been criticized for the quality of food and hygiene in its facilities. Asylum seekers have reported receiving inedible meals and unsanitary living conditions, prompting protests against the company this summer. The National Audit Office indicates that Clearsprings and its competitors collectively earned £383 million from asylum contracts since 2019. While Clearsprings pledged to return profits exceeding contract margins, the government has not verified any reimbursements.

Critics, including charities, argue that the profits illustrate a troubling trend of prioritizing corporate interests over the basic needs of vulnerable populations. The Home Office's hotel contracts have come under increasing scrutiny from MPs as costs have surged from £4. 5 billion to £15 billion. Clearsprings maintains that it provides "value for money," yet many question the transparency and adequacy of its services.