We are deeply concerned and dismayed by today’s announcement that the Government plans to pursue so-called ‘return hubs’ for people who have been refused asylum. Whilst the Government has not yet made clear how the 'return hubs' are meant to work in practice, we see this policy for what it is: yet another punitive measure that prioritises enforcement and deterrence over the rights and dignity of people seeking asylum.  As a UK-wide network of frontline organisations supporting people experiencing destitution and homelessness due to hostile immigration policies, we have walked alongside thousands of individuals refused asylum, often unjustly, over [...]

Migrant homelessness has long been the ‘elephant in the room’ in discussions with government. The need to be seen to be tough on immigration has meant that policy solutions to support migrants out of homelessness have too often gone unheeded. Instead, the immigration and asylum systems are a direct cause of homelessness, pushing many into hardship and destitution and leaving services without the resources to provide meaningful support. In recent months these pressures have increased to the point that many homelessness services are struggling to manage the scale of demand. Meanwhile, the far-right riots that erupted across the UK [...]