Huge increase in homeless refugees in London as asylum policy under fire

"The number of refugee households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness has surged fivefold in the past four years. Government figures for England reveal a rise from 3,560 in 2021/22 to 19,310 in 2024/25. Charities blame the increase on a "direct result" of government policy, citing the 28-day period newly-recognised refugees get to leave Home Office accommodation - including hotels - as well as faster processing of asylum applications."

"The figures emerge as successive governments have struggled with Britain's overwhelmed asylum system, with huge backlogs of people awaiting decisions on claims and appeals. Processing had been sluggish and at one point completely halted, but Labour wants to speed things up - meaning more people are being granted refugee status and need to find somewhere to live. A charity helping homeless refugees said it was mainly seeing young women under 30 seeking support."

"Yusra, 26, who arrived in Britain by small boat fleeing war in Sudan, is one of them. She said her entire family was killed before she reached the UK. After around five months in a government-funded asylum hotel, she has been sleeping in a tent on Greater Manchester's streets since being granted refugee status in late August. "Sometimes drunk people come and try to open the tent and I start screaming," Yusra said. "I can't sleep until the morning.""

Refugee homelessness in England rose from 3,560 households in 2021/22 to 19,310 in 2024/25, a fivefold increase. Charities attribute the rise to government policy changes, notably a 28-day requirement for newly recognised refugees to leave Home Office accommodation and faster asylum processing. The government states it is committed to helping refugees move into permanent homes and is working with councils to mitigate homelessness risk. Backlogs and an overwhelmed asylum system have complicated housing transitions. Charities report many applicants are women under 30. Local councils often class single adults as low priority for social housing, leaving some sleeping rough despite support from local groups.

Read at www.standard.co.uk