What are Regional Hub Meetings and why are they important?

At the heart of the NACCOM network is the relationship we foster with our members. One of the ways we nurture and develop this is by bringing members together from each of our six hub regions to network, share good practice, and discuss current issues and concerns emerging from their frontline work. 

These bi-annual regional hubs form an important part of our membership network, providing a safe space for members old and new to connect and come together in solidarity. The hubs are also a valuable opportunity for the NACCOM team to understand emerging trends, challenges and opportunities in the sector relating to frontline accommodation and support provision, which help to shape our work both in the short- and long-term.   

Our recent hub meetings were held in cities across the UK (Newport, Liverpool, Leeds, Leicester, London and Glasgow) between January and March of this year, and were attended by 99 members in total from across the network, invited external partners, as well as members of the NACCOM team.  

These were the first in-person hubs since the Covid-19 pandemic and it was great to come together with members in solidarity, particularly at a time when both members and the people they support are feeling the impact of increasingly hostile policies and narratives coming from the Government regarding refugees. 

Whilst the challenges for frontline organisations working with people experiencing destitution in the asylum and immigration system can often seem overwhelming, what came across strongly from the hubs is the power, creativity, solidarity and resilience of members who are committed to working together to end destitution, and we are extremely grateful to all the charities in our network for their work.  

Whilst there are always unique trends, challenges and opportunities specific to each region of the UK, there was huge commonality this winter across the hubs as to members’ frontline experiences.  In the first of two blogs, we explore the main challenges facing frontline organisations across the network.

Access to support

People not accessing, or being unable to access, the support they need and wide–spread concerns in some areas of low numbers of people accessing help from – or being referred to – members, with some members flagging the impact of policies such as the Rwanda deportation plan as responsible for driving people affected by immigration control underground. 

Lack of data, from local and national partners

Data is key to enable members to make informed decisions and to engage with people at the point they need help in order to prevent destitution.  Many members are struggling to access the data they need, for example, to fully assess the scale of negative cessations in their areas, and allocate their services accordingly.

Introduction of new dispersal areas, as well as the rising use of hotels

These have presented challenges for members, not only in terms of their capacity and resources, but in anticipating where needs should be met, given the wide dispersal of hotels, and ensuring that those who need support are able to access it.

Rise in complex health needs

The rise in complex health/mental health needs experienced by people supported by the network has resulted in the need for more in–depth specific casework and additional challenges to accessing and delivering support. Some organisations shared that they were reconsidering who to support and broadening their criteria as destitution is increasingly experienced by people accommodated in hotels and those with Leave to Remain. 

Uncertainty and anxiety about new legislation

In particular what the new Nationality and Borders Act means in practice, and how the impact of this is communicated to people it affects. Some members are already reporting that people are choosing to leave Home Office accommodation due to their rising fears resulting from the threat of removal to Rwanda.

Lack of legal advice and solicitors 

The lack of legal advice and solicitors, cuts to Legal Aid and people being let down by legal reps are forcing people into extremely challenging and precarious situations, leaving them without the support they need to regularise their status. 

Delays in Home Office decision-making

Delays to Home Office decisions, concern around the quality of decision–making, Home Office mistakes, delays in processing and receiving decision letters, National Referral Mechanism delays, as well as delays to accessing NASS accommodation even after it has been granted are all impacting individuals waiting for decisions but also organisations supporting them, often resulting in  – or putting people at increased risk of – destitution. By contrast, members also reported the resumption of increased negative cessations. In all instances, members are needing to provide support for longer, placing an additional burden on their services.  

The impact of cost-of-living

Increases in the cost of living such as energy, rent, travel and food, both for organisations themselves and for the individuals they work with, and the sustainability of increased demands, was the cause of much concern. 

Staff and volunteer wellbeing

Staff and volunteer wellbeing and the impact of working in this uniquely challenging sector was also of great concern.  

Whilst many of the challenges above were experienced widely by members across the network, some challenges were unique to particular types of accommodation;

Challenges specific to hosting members;

  • The impact of Homes for Ukraine – A number of members across the regional hub meetings deliver hosting projects. The Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme has presented some unique challenges and opportunities for them. Regardless of hosting members’ involvement with the scheme, all reported ‘losing’ hosts from their regular hosting project to Homes for Ukraine. The knock-on impact of this on services – with members having to do more to recruit, sustain and support hosts – was felt across the regions. A more long-term concern is how to ensure that the hosting accommodation model is not lost for people in the asylum and immigration system with no other options.   

Challenges specific to housing providers;

  • Challenges for newly granted refugees – The impact of the 28-day move-on period being too short, as well as accommodation shortages and issues with frontline homelessness service protocol, resulting in rising destitution amongst this group.
  • ‘Move-on’ – A common term used by members was ‘bottleneck’. Accommodation shortage and affordability, shortage of social housing, and lack of integration are creating barriers to move-on.  
  • Intentional homelessness – People making themselves intentionally homeless due to conditions in Home Office accommodation, adding pressure on members, or people being offered S98/S4 in other areas and not wanting to move, especially in Scotland.
  • Lack of affordable accommodation – Inadequate and inconsistent access to decent and affordable accommodation, both for emergency provision and particularly for move-on. 

Other challenges;

  • Challenges with data – At the Regional Hubs we heard about our members’ ongoing challenge to get reliable, regular data on local migrant homelessness. Knowing the number of people in, and leaving, local asylum accommodation would help our members to estimate need and demand for services, and ensure that nobody slips through cracks into homelessness. However, as we learned, voluntary organisations rarely have access to data such as exit statistics. We expect changes to asylum dispersal and decision-making patterns to increase the need for our members’ services, whilst creating demand in new areas without a strong voluntary sector. As we described in our ‘Principles for Dispersal’ briefing, information sharing between the Home Office, accommodation providers, Migrant Help, Local Authorities, Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), and the voluntary sector, should be improved to ensure that everybody is able to access the support that they require and are entitled to. 

Part two of this blog will explore trends and opportunities in the network that emerged from the Winter Regional Hubs. The dates for our Summer series of Regional Member Hubs are available to view here.