A large group of migrants attempting to cross the Channel are seen on a small boat yesterday

‘When we entered government and even before, during access talks, we were told that the previous government had been drawing up plans to open scores of new asylum hotels,’ the source told the Times.

‘This was because the number of migrants crossing the Channel had increased by 18 per cent in the first half of the year and they had not been processing any new claims.’

Ministers are developing contingency plans to avoid a recurrence of the autumn 2022 situation, where the Manston asylum centre in Kent became dangerously overcrowded, resulting in disease and violence due to insufficient “upstream accommodation” for migrants after their processing.

Yvette Cooper is optimistic that the Home Office will process the 87,217 claims pending initial decisions within a year to a year and a half by enhancing the decision-making rate.

There are currently an additional 137,525 waiting to hear back about their appeals or individuals waiting to be removed from the UK.

A total of 28,645 people are now believed to have crossed the Channel this year alone as of Friday, almost eight per cent higher when compared to the same point last year.

At least 55 people have died making the crossing in what has been described as the deadliest year for crossing so far.

MailOnline has approached the Home Office for comment.

Almost 300 migrants crossed the Channel on the same day three people tragically died and dozens were rescued whilst making the risky journey last week.

Dozens of migrants have been brought to shore by British Border Force officers on Wednesday after being intercepted in the Channel

A small boat carrying around 50 people sank a mile off the coast of Calais with those on board falling into the water yesterday morning, according to reports.

A major rescue operation was launched, with nearby ships called to help and rescue boats and helicopters deployed that morning, the maritime prefecture said.

Three people were confirmed to be dead, with another injured individual being rushed to hospital by the French authorities.

More arrivals were spotted this morning arriving at the Port of Dover following the recent figures.

It comes thousands of extra hotel beds for migrants are set to be hired in a major humiliation for the Labour government.

The Home Office faces the prospect of splurging taxpayers’ money on additional accommodation amid rising levels of Channel small-boat arrivals.

Some migrant hotels previously closed by the last Conservative government could be re-opened, sources told Times Radio.

It amounts to an embarrassing U-turn for Labour, whose election manifesto pledged to ‘end asylum hotels, saving the taxpayer billions of pounds’.

The Home Office declined to comment on October 15 and refused to give up-to-date figures on how many asylum seekers are in hotels.

Firefighters cars arrive at the port of Calais, north-western France, on October 23, 2024, following the deaths of two migrants in an attempt to cross the English Channel

Latest official data showed that at the end of June the total stood at 29,585.

Since then, just over 14,000 migrants have arrived across the Channel, most of whom will have been housed in hotels, suggesting the current total is more than 40,000.

At its peak there were 56,000 migrants in hotels at the end of September last year, costing the taxpayer £8million a day.

The previous government was able to cut numbers as Channel arrivals dipped – and it had closed 150 migrant hotels by May.

But Labour scrapped the Rwanda asylum deal and ordered a re-think of migrant accommodation as soon as it entered power.

Downing Street insisted the Government remains ‘committed’ to ending the use of asylum hotels with the Prime Minister’s official spokesman adding: ‘We regularly review our use of asylum accommodation because, as set out in the manifesto, we’re committed to ending the use of asylum hotels and saving the taxpayer billions of pounds.’

Shadow home secretary James Cleverly said: ‘The Tory government closed 150 asylum hotels and had flights ready to go to Rwanda.

‘But Labour scrapped our deterrent on day one and are now reopening asylum hotels costing upwards of £4 million every day – and breaking yet another promise they made to the British people.’

A police car leaves the port of Calais, north-western France, on October 23, 2024, following the deaths of two migrants

Stephen Webb, of the think-tank Policy Exchange, added: ‘The savings Government promised on hotels for asylum seekers are yet to materialise.’

It came as Italy’s new offshore migrant processing centre in Albania received its first migrants yesterday.

EU members are today due to discuss adopting a similar scheme across the bloc.

The Home Office said 176 migrants arrived across the Channel on Tuesday, taking this year’s total to 27,509.