The Standard’s campaign to lobby Government to uphold the human rights of asylum seekers by allowing them to work after six months and giving them appropriate time to “move-on” from Home Office supported accommodation has gathered momentum with the backing of refugee and homeless organisations.
Our Winter Appeal, A Place To Call Home, which is raising money for charities supporting asylum seekers and people experiencing homelessness, has also sought to lobby the Government to make two critical changes. The first is to double the “move-on” period from 28 to 56 days that asylum seekers are given to find their own housing once they are given refugee status, and the second is to allow them to work, giving them means to support themselves and reducing the economic burden on the state.
Another four charities – Refugees at Home, Homeless Link, NACCOM and the Helen Bamber Foundation - have supported our call, already backed by the Refugee Council, for the Government to give asylum seekers “their dignity” and stop “forcing them into homelessness”. The current, longstanding Government policies, they say, are causing a “refugee homelessness crisis”.
Lauren Scott, chief executive of the charity Refugees at Home, said: “At a time when they need stability the most, forcing refugees to find somewhere else to stay in just 28 days puts them at severe risk of homelessness, exploitation, and harm. Many of our guests are fleeing violence and persecution and simply want a chance to rebuild their lives. The asylum system is complex and denying refugees the chance to gain employment and support themselves while they navigate it is likely to exacerbate the problems they are facing.”
Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, the membership body for frontline homelessness services, said the Government’s policy was fomenting migrant homelessness. He said: “We fully support the Standard’s campaign to extend the move-on period to 56 days because this would bring the asylum system in line with Local Authority homelessness support, helping to ensure that newly recognised refugees don’t start their lives in the UK by being evicted into homelessness, and instead allowing more time to support people directly into housing and employment.”
He added: “The current system is driving homelessness among refugees. At the same time, this puts enormous pressure on local authority and community sector services. Homelessness has a devastating impact on people and communities. It damages individuals’ physical and mental health, exacerbates trauma and pushes people into vulnerable and exploitative situations, further away from opportunities to build fulfilled lives.”
Caron Boulghassoul, Chair of Trustees, NACCOM (The No Accommodation Network), said: “We know from frontline charities in our network that the move-on period is a major cause of destitution amongst people leaving the asylum system. In London during 2023 – 2024, our members accommodated 527 migrants experiencing homelessness – a staggering 309 per cent increase on the previous year. It is clear that having just 28 days to move on from asylum accommodation pushes many people into homelessness as they simply do not have enough time to find alternative accommodation. We welcome this campaign to double the move on period.”
Caron also supported the right to work, calling the current policy “nonsensical and unjust”. “With so many having to wait months or years for their claim to be processed, lifting the ban would empower people to support themselves. Having just £7 per day to live on forces people in the asylum system into acute poverty, where they struggle to afford life’s essentials. Giving people seeking asylum the right to work means they can unlock their potential and live in dignity, not destitution.”
So far, our Winter Appeal, in partnership with Comic Relief, has raised over £1.1 million and has been endorsed by half a dozen celebrities, including Rita Ora, Shappi Khorsandi, Anita Rani and Michael Sheen. Now, with the support of housing and refugee charities, the net is being drawn wider as we push for more humane treatment of this often-maligned group.
Zoe Dexter, housing and welfare manager at the Helen Bamber Foundation, put it baldly when she said: “There is a refugee homelessness crisis in the UK. Receiving one’s asylum status ought to be a time of happiness and relief but many refugees face the dreadful prospects of being homeless or living in insecure housing. The Home Office’s chaotic plan to digitise the proof of immigration status for millions of people through the rollout of ‘eVisas’, has further complicated this ‘move-on’ period and has made it even harder to simply open a bank account and claim Universal Credit, which is so vital for people to avoid being destitute.”
Zoe gave the example of Kofi, a survivor of torture who arrived in the UK from Sudan after enduring extreme violence. “He has severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. After being granted refugee status, he was evicted on the same day as the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol was activated across London, contrary to Home Office guidance. He had contacted his local authority weeks before but had not heard back until his solicitors were involved. He was eventually offered a hotel room outside of London at the last minute, but he would not receive Universal Credit for several weeks.”
Kofi, she said, is one of the hundreds of survivors of trafficking and torture they work with who have suffered cruelty and need a safe home to rebuild their lives. “The Home Office must urgently increase the amount of time refugees have to find housing after being evicted from asylum accommodation. The Home Office must extend the move-on period to allow for 56 days’ notice, in line with other homelessness legislation. This would give refugees and local authorities a chance of finding suitable housing and prevent hundreds from ending up on the streets of London.”
In a nutshell
Our Winter Appeal, A Place to Call Home, in partnership with Comic Relief, is seeking to help fund organisations in London and across the country that support asylum seekers and people experiencing homelessness.
How you can help
£10 could provide a young person travel to meet a wellbeing mentor and have a hot meal
£50 could provide travel to work or school for a month for an at-risk youth
£150 could refurbish a bike for an adult refugee giving them freedom to travel independently
£500 could train ten people with experience of homelessness to become homeless health advocates £1,000 could enable one of our partners to fully support a young person throughout the year
To make a donation visit: comicrelief.com/winter
