“A week is clearly not enough time to find paid work, secure accommodation and get settled, especially for someone who has just arrived in the country.”
By the Migrant Champions Network
Home Office changes to eviction rules for people newly granted refugee status are causing huge hardship for refugees in the UK, and chaos for local authorities around the country.
Since August this year, people granted refugee status are often being given just seven days to leave asylum accommodation. Once a person is recognised as a refugee, their asylum support is terminated and they have to leave their asylum accommodation. People used to get 28 days’ notice before being evicted – now, in many cases, support and accommodation are being withdrawn with just 7 days’ notice.
This change is having a severe impact on people seeking sanctuary. A week is clearly not enough time to find paid work, secure accommodation and get settled, especially for someone who has just arrived in the country. People are being left street homeless by this policy, and are being pushed into exploitation.
Councils up and down the country are scrambling to respond, and stop huge numbers of residents becoming street homeless. Local councillors may well know of residents in their areas who are faced with eviction from asylum accommodation, and want to help. There is a lot that councillors can do to support people facing eviction.
Join the Migrant Champions Network on 5 December for a free information session, looking at the practical steps councillors can take to support residents who are at risk of sudden eviction from asylum accommodation.
- The Migrant Champions Network free information session will take place online on Tuesday 5th December from 6-8PM – full details and the registration link can be found here.
- Mary Atkinson is the Co-ordinator of the Migrant Champions Network. You can follow them on Twitter here.
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