Refugees granted more time to find homes
From 9th December the UK’s Home Office has claimed it plans to increase the number of days refugees have to find their own accommodation from 28 to 56 days.
This year homelessness among refugees reached record-breaking levels. Figures from the No Accommodation Network (Naccom) – an umbrella organisation for 140 frontline organisations working with asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants across the UK – show there’s been a 99% increase in refugee homeless within the last 12 months, with 1,941refugees finding themselves without accommodation.
With this in mind, the Home Office have revealed they will double the number of days refugees have to transition from supported housing to their own accommodation. It is set to be increased from 28 days to 56 days from 9th December and will remain in place until June 2025 when the rule will be reassessed.
The information was revealed in government letters, which were first seen by the BBC.
Matt Downie, head of homelessness charity Crisis, said: ‘This extension will ensure that people trying to rebuild their lives after fleeing war and persecution won’t face further trauma of life on the streets.
‘This is hugely positive step…it’s important that this becomes a permanent change next year if we’re going to ensure that refugees granted settled status don’t face homelessness in the future.’
Echoing a similar tone, Phil Kerry, chief executive of New Horizons Youth Centre, added: ‘The timing of this news could not be better and crucially means that we won’t have more refugees pushed onto the streets this Christmas.’
Not only are the new rules set to benefit refugees, but they’re also a positive step for councils. In 2022 Home Office officials said the daily bill for housing asylum seekers in hotels was £5.6million a day, however annual accounts published last September revealed the cost had risen to £8million a day.
In related news:
Good tidings we bring: Brits plan to give more this Christmas
