Joint open letter against eviction policy change- Refugees made homeless at a week’s notice

Thousands more refugees are facing homelessness after a Home Office eviction policy change. That’s why we joined over 140 organisations, including Refugee Council, Crisis UK, Shelter, to call on this Government to abandon this policy change.

Previously, refugees who are granted refugee status have 28 days to vacate asylum accommodation and find somewhere safe to live, as well set up a bank account, find a job or apply for universal credit. This was already an extremely difficult task.

Now, the ‘move on’ period has been reduced to as little as 7 days. It is virtually impossible to secure housing and financial support in a week.

Sadly, frontline services have already seen a huge rise in refugees facing homelessness and destitution and are struggling to cope with the surge in support needed.

As it states in the letter: “Receiving refugee status should be a time of celebration, but these changes are leaving individuals, including children, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and survivors of human trafficking, facing a huge crisis just when their status is finally clarified.”

Read the full letter to Suella Braverman and Michael Gove:

Learn more about the policy change: Free Movement ‘Home Office change in practice increases risk of homelessness for recognised refugees’