From asylum hotels to food banks: Barriers to healthy diet for asylum seekers

Asylum seekers and refugees in high income countries, like the UK, are vulnerable to food insecurity.  Housing asylum seekers in hotels whilst they wait on the outcome of their asylum application was a short-term measure that has become long-term. The current Government have pledged to end the use of ‘asylum hotels’ by 2029, but there is uncertainty over what will replace them. One of the most pressing health concerns for asylum  seekers is limited access to healthy, nutritious food.  This study worked with a London food bank to investigate experiences of asylum hotel food and its impacts upon health and wellbeing.