Fears refugees could face homelessness due to 'rushed' Home Office decisions

Charities, community groups and churches are rallying to prepare for potentially increased homelessness among refugees as the Home Office tries to clear the backlog of asylum seekers.

Asylum seekers can be granted refugee status which allows them to live and work in the UK. Until that point, they have no right to work and are temporarily housed.

Several asylum seekers have been homed in hotels under a Home Office scheme, such as the Holiday Inn in Maidenhead – but the Home Office wishes to scale down this expensive process.

Care4Calais, which supports asylum seekers seeking refugee status, helps people with paperwork and navigating systems such as Universal Credit, is concerned that an attempt to process asylum seekers quickly will leave them with little time to find a job and a place to live.

Sam Jonkers, regional lead for Care4Calais Reading, which operates throughout the Thames Valley, said it was a ‘worrying situation’.

Since many people have been stuck in the system for a very long time without right to work, access to education and no funds, the Government speeding up the asylum seeker to refugee process is a positive, in some respects.

But it causes problems in the local area if refugee status decisions come all at once, she said. If processed too fast, it is ‘not long enough’ for people to find places to live and work in time.

“There’s a whole rush of decisions being made. We’re expecting a lot more in the coming months,” Sam said.

“It’s a very difficult situation for the local authority. They weren’t expecting this and it’s not the way the [system] was designed to work.”

Care4Calais has requested that the community rally round to offer various kinds of help – taking people to appointments or house viewings, volunteering to help teach English or run sports clubs, helping people open bank accounts and other administrative tasks.

Another option is to sign up to host refugees at home, in a similar vein as the Homes for Ukraine scheme for Ukrainians.

Experienced organisations that can match hosts and guests, include Refugees at Home and Sanctuary Hosting.

Alternatively, homeowners could rent out a spare bedroom at local authority rates.

“That would make a huge difference,” said Sam. “There isn’t enough housing stock in the area.

“People assume refugees will automatically be given housing and that’s not the case,” she added.

“Once they get refugee status, they’re just like everyone else and go through the same process.

“We are quite fearful about the rise in homelessness, potentially.”

Anyone wishing to get in contact with the Thames Valley branch of Care4Calais should email Reading@Care4Calais.org

Opportunity to integrate is also an important part of life for people coming into the country.

All Saints Church has been involved for 18 months in helping a group of Iranians, by teaching English, helping fill in CVs and helping with interview technique, among other support.

With question marks over what will happen next, churches are working with Care4Calais to offer more support, including looking at skillsets and how to help the high-skilled retain those skilled roles.

Other organisations helping however they can include Maidenhead Foodshare, which is providing meals for three or four refugees already.

These groups are preparing for a ‘potential crisis point’ for a sudden rush of people having to leave hotels.

Father Jeremy Harris, vicar at All Saints, said that they are not sure what the scale of the problem will be, and are worried about homelessness. Having met with the local authority to discuss it, he says there have been no answers so far about what would happen if large numbers of people left the hotels at once.

“What can we do if we haven’t got answers? All we can do is use the expertise we have in the community,” said Fr Jeremy.

“We’re doing what we can to support people but it’s a complex issue and there’s not an easy remedy. We’re all having to deal with this for the first time in our lives. It’s very difficult.”

处女膜的议员Theresa May说:“这是受欢迎的news that people are being moved out of hotels, however it is vital that provision is in place to support the transition into alternative accommodation.

“I have written to the Home Office to express my concern at the short notice given to those who are leaving hotels and the limited time available to ensure they have somewhere to go.

“Local areas need more time to be able to put the necessary support in place.”

A Home Office spokesperson said:

”的人数到达英国寻求asylum and require accommodation has reached record levels, placing unprecedented pressures on the asylum system.

“The Government is working with all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland to provide more cost-effective and suitable accommodation for asylum seekers, and to end the unacceptable use of hotels.

“More than £21million in grant funding has already been provided to help local authorities respond to challenges in their area.”