A debate on the issue of Homelessness Amongst Refugees has been tabled for next Tuesday (17th July) from 2.30-4.00pm. We need your help to encourage as many MPs as possible to attend.

Homelessness amongst newly recognised refugees is a significant problem that relates directly to government policy and has a damaging and lasting impact on people’s lives.

As someone who stayed in one of our member’s night shelters this winter after getting his papers, Bahram writes; ‘When I come to this country the government protect me, they support me, they put me in a safe place. After they give me the visa, I got a letter two weeks later saying I would need to leave the house. I went to the council… They said they didn’t have any accommodation- I would have to rent somewhere. But I didn’t have a job, I didn’t have any money… I don’t have any place to go, I don’t know what to do.’

Can you invite your MP to attend this debate on the 17th July and speak up for change?

Working with partners in the sector, several recommendations have been put together in a briefing for MPs which we’d encourage you to share as part of your invitation;

  1. The move-on period for people granted status should be extended from 28 days to at least 56 days to reduce risks of homelessness amongst refugees and bring Home Office policy in line with changes recently introduced under the Homelessness Reduction Act.
  2. The impact of procedural adjustments within the move on period introduced in recent months are unclear so a full evaluation of the Post Grant Appointment Service and the pilot that preceded it should be published urgently. Learning from this should shape the support that refugees receive around housing and benefits across various government departments.
  3. Integration Loans should be adjusted and monitored to more accurately reflect the private rental market. Communication about the availability of, and criteria for, loans should be more readily available to refugees and support services to encourage take up of loans.
  4. Asylum accommodation providers should be listed as a ‘public body with a duty to refer’ refugees to Local Housing Authorities under new Homelessness Reduction Act regulations. This will ensure that people receive the support they need to prevent homelessness.

For more information see the attached briefing.

Can you invite your MP to attend the debate on the 17th July? Suggested text for NACCOM Member organisations can be downloaded and adapted here.

Not a member but still want to invite your MP? See here for suggested text to adapt as appropriate.

If you need to find your MP’s contact details you can use this website.

Remember to download and share the latest briefing with your MP as part of the invitation. This will ensure your MP is fully aware of the issues and the latest evidence about refugee homelessness.

To support ongoing advocacy work on this issue, if you have any case studies of people experiencing barriers to housing or facing homelessness as newly recognised refugees, please get in touch.

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Thanks for your support.