A leading think tank has warned gaps in the asylum system could lead to a rise in homelessness, despite government efforts to cut rough sleeping.
Published today (11 June), the research from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) comes as asylum decisions are being made more quickly, meaning more people are moving out of Home Office support.
Homelessness linked to people leaving asylum accommodation more than doubled in late 2023, with experts cautious that a repeat of the spike cannot be ruled out. Cases rose from 3,450 between July and September to 7,160 between October and December.
Although the figure later fell, it has remained high, with thousands of households still needing homelessness support each quarter after leaving asylum accommodation. Figures show the asylum backlog has fallen by more than half between March 2025 and March 2026. The number of people living in hotels has also dropped by around a third.
While the fall in the backlog has been described as progress, the think tank warns it could increase pressure elsewhere if support for people leaving the system is not improved.
The report, which is based on interviews with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers across London, the North West, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands, highlights many people who are granted refugee status are given limited time to find somewhere to live, apply for benefits, or contact their local council before their accommodation ends.
Some people said they became homeless immediately after leaving asylum accommodation. Others described struggling to get help because of complex rules or a lack of information about what to do next.
Against this backdrop, the think tank is calling for a ‘safe move-on guarantee’ to help prevent people from being left without housing. This includes giving at least 42 days’ notice before asylum accommodation ends, clearer extensions of support where homelessness is likely, and better sharing of information between the Home Office and councils.
It also suggests putting specialist advisers in homelessness services and introducing a ‘homelessness test’ for new asylum policies.
Amreen Qureshi, research fellow at IPPR, said: ‘Reducing the asylum backlog matters – faster decisions mean fewer people are left waiting in limbo. But a positive asylum decision should not leave someone with nowhere to go. This is not just a housing issue or an immigration issue, it is a gap between systems.’
‘The Home Office controls when asylum accommodation ends, but councils are left dealing with the consequences when move-on support fails,’ Qureshi continued. ‘If ministers are serious about preventing homelessness, they need to make sure asylum decisions are planned with housing impacts in mind.’
The report can be read in full here.
Image: Randy Jacob/UnSplash
In related news:
Leave a Reply