REVEALED: The staggering map showing 150 nationalities in migrant hotels across UK

Migrants from a staggering 150 countries are living in taxpayer-funded asylum hotels, a Sunday Express investigation can reveal.

Foreign nationals from Spain, America, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and hotspots such as St Lucia and Barbados are among the 30,657 in controversial venues across the country.

Critics branded the figures “shameful” as they warned many of the countries on the list are “safe, sunny holiday destinations”.

More than one in three asylum seekers living in hotels are from African countries, while Afghans and Iranians make up the biggest cohorts.

But our investigation reveals the widespread makeup of nationalities in asylum hotels.

It also provides another insight into the widespread abuse of the crumbling system, with many of the foreign citizens not involved in small boat crossings. This means they are being given hotels after arriving in the UK on a work, study or visitor visa.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “These figures are shameful.

“With more than 30,000 asylum seekers, most of whom are illegal immigrants, in hotels the taxpayer is forking out over £4 billion a year. The numbers in hotels are higher now than at the election.

“Some of the nationalities represented in large numbers like Brazil and Albania are obviously safe counties. They should be immediately deported.

“My plan is to exit the European Court of Human Rights which would enable us to deport all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival. Illegal immigrants should be kicked out with no court hearing and no delay, not put up in cushty hotels at huge expense.”

Some 29 Americans are living in asylum hotels, our analysis reveals, along with 70 Russians, seven Poles, 110 Brazilians, 10 from Jamaica, 94 from St Lucia and 40 from St Vincent.

Some 11 Israelis are also in migrant hotels, as well as 635 Georgians.

A staggering 3,455 Afghans are still living in rooms paid for by taxpayers, with 3,099 Iranians, 2,693 Eritreans, 1,855 Somalis, 1,779 Syrians and 1,723 Iraqis being supported.

Remarkably, many of the countries on the list are considered safe for removals by the Home Office.

There are six Spaniards living in asylum hotels, 521 Albanians, 79 from Mauritius, three from Sweden, two from Romania, one from South Korea and one from Japan.

Reform’s Zia Yusuf told the Sunday Express: “Britain has become the world’s biggest free food bank and nearly 150 countries are helping themselves.

“Many of these are safe, sunny holiday destinations that British families save up all year to visit such as the Maldives, Barbados, Spain and even America.

“Yet while British families are struggling, Shabana Mahmood thinks the answer is to offer a £40,000 bribe to ‘go home’.

“Reform UK will end this lunacy and close every migrant hotel and house of multiple occupancy, detain and deport every illegal migrant.”

Some 107,003 people are being supported by taxpayers, including the 30,657 living in asylum hotels.

But more migrants are living in houses, flats and bedsits across the country, Home Office figures revealed.

Some 68,538 are living in dispersal accommodation, up from 66,232 three months ago.

Labour wants to use more former military bases for asylum accommodation and convert former hospitals, student digs and office blocks into homes for migrants.

And they could pay councils to buy up homes across the country, which would then be leased out to asylum accommodation providers. Once the asylum crisis is over, they would form part of the housing stock.

A record 39,095 people sought sanctuary after arriving on a study, work or visitor visa.

Of this group of claimants, 12,578 held a study visa, 13,557 arrived on a work visa, 7,521 used a visitor visa and 5,439 held other forms of leave.

Tony Smith, former head of the UK Border Force, said: “It’s not surprising that countries like Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Somalia occupy the most hotel spaces.

Many of their applications for asylum will ultimately succeed or they will have their appeals allowed.

Even if they don’t, it is very difficult to enforce returns to those countries.

“Once granted leave to remain, the responsibility for support and accommodation will shift from the Home Office to local authorities, placing an additional burden on already stretched council budgets.

“This is why I supported the Rwanda plan. It would have acted as a significant deterrent to those waiting to cross by small boat or lorry from France or Belgium – thus defeating the smuggling business model at source.

“Although the government is making progress in reducing the hotel population in favour of other accommodation centres or houses of multiple occupancy, I fear this will not be enough to stop the boats without a fundamental reform of the asylum support system and an alternative removals deterrent.”