NACCOM, alongside other migrants’ rights, housing and homelessness organisations, has welcomed news that the Government has withdrawn draft regulations to exempt asylum accommodation from HMO (houses in multiple occupation) licensing, which would have weakened vital safety measures for those in the asylum system living in Home Office accommodation.  

The Government’s announcement follows the anticipated start of a judicial review challenging the draft regulations in February 2024, which was abandoned shortly before the trial was due to start, when claimants were informed that the Home Office had decided to withdraw their proposals. 

Organisations advocating for and supporting refugees raised serious concerns about the plans, which first came to light in spring 2023, flagging the increased risk people in asylum accommodation would face if fire safety and other minimum standards were not enforced in HMO properties procured by Home Office contractors.  

In an open letter signed by over 130 organisations, the then Home Secretary, Suella Braverman MP, was urged to abandon the draft regulations. NACCOM worked on some joint advocacy with partners including the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) and Crisis to voice our concerns to MPs and Peers, and provided a witness statement for the judicial review, drawing on expert evidence and insight from frontline members in our network, including Refugee Action, St Augustine’s, Abigail Housing, LASSN, Asylum Link Merseyside and Rainbow Migration. 

Bridget Young, NACCOM's Director, commented;

“We welcome the decision by the Government to withdraw their plans to exempt asylum accommodation from HMO licensing, and are grateful to all the organisations, including our partners and members, for the collective action that successfully challenged these harmful proposals.” 

“Instead of stripping away basic safety measures from people seeking safety, and creating a two-tier system of housing standards, the Government should be focussing on working with local partners to procure and manage safe, good quality accommodation in communities for all those who need it, regardless of their immigration status.” 

“Embedding poor practice and standards in any housing tenure is unacceptable. What we need to see is a commitment by this or any future Government to manage and monitor asylum accommodation in the same way as other types of accommodation, akin to the Decent Homes Standard, with Local Authorities and communities being sufficiently resourced and empowered to ensure that good quality accommodation is maintained.” 

Additional links:

➡️ Statement and briefing | Exemptions on HMO licensing for asylum accommodation – NACCOM

➡️ Home Office drops plan to remove housing protections from asylum seekers | Housing | The Guardian