""Even just before the pandemic, refugees who applied to bring family to the UK did so on average more than one or one years after they were granted protection. Long enough for them to get jobs, find housing and be able to provide their family with some support," Cooper said. "Here in the UK now however those applications now come in on average within one month, even before a newly granted refugee has left asylum accommodation. As a consequence, refugee families who arrive are far more likely to seek homelessness assistance.""
""The move came as the government was facing increasing criticism and protests over the use of hotels to house those seeking asylum. According to data obtained by the BBC, police forces across the country were notified of 3,081 protests between the start of June and 25 August, a huge increase compared with 2,942 protests last summer and 928 in 2023.""
The government announced a temporary suspension of new refugee family reunification applications on 1 September. Refugees will face the same restrictions as other migrants, including earning at least £29,000 a year, providing suitable accommodation for relatives, and family members demonstrating a basic level of English. A gay refugee who fled Nigeria after holding the country’s first Pride celebration criticised the changes. The decision followed rising protests and concern about the use of hotels for asylum seekers, with police notified of 3,081 protests between June and 25 August. Earlier application timing has increased pressure on homelessness services.
Read at PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
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