Councils abandon homeless families by relocating them to deprived areas without support
- In 2024, nearly 100 UK councils reported a significant increase in requests for emergency housing help from homeless refugees, with 18,002 requests in the first nine months.
- The spike is linked to a 251% increase in individuals being evicted from asylum accommodation, along with a 20% rise in asylum seekers housed in Home Office hotels.
- The government has announced substantial funding for homelessness prevention services and extended the move-on period to help mitigate the risks of escalating homelessness.
In the UK, a significant rise in refugee homelessness has been reported, marking a concerning trend for local councils. During the first nine months of 2024, nearly 100 councils experienced more requests for emergency housing assistance than in the entire year of 2023, indicating a severe increase in the demand for housing among evicted migrants. Specifically, 18,002 homeless migrants sought help from local authorities due to evictions from Home Office accommodation, suggesting a worrying pattern that could eclipse the previous year's figures, which recorded a total of 19,472 requests. This influx is emerging amidst broader challenges within the asylum system as government statistics reveal that 35,651 individuals were residing in Home Office-imposed hotel accommodation as of September 30, 2024, with almost double the asylum claims since September 2021. The observed issues are exacerbated by a lack of adequate support for newly-recognized refugees who are transitioning out of temporary housing arrangements into independence, often leading to increased levels of homelessness.