The Migrants Champions Network and Young Roots have coordinated a cross-party councillors letter to the Asylum Minister, Alex Norris MP, urging him to reinstate the 56-day housing move-on period for people granted refugee status. 

The letter was signed by 157 councillors across the political spectrum, including Green, Labour, Lib Dem, Independents and local party councillors. 

Currently, people granted refugee status are given only 28 days before they are evicted from their asylum accommodation, which means they have only 28 days to open a bank account, find a job or access benefits, and find a place to live. Whilst doing this, they are also often dealing with other issues like language barriers, or the impact of past trauma.  

There is ample evidence that evicting people from asylum accommodation after just 28 days is detrimental to individuals, communities and our society at large. 

This short time-period is half of the 56-day minimum eviction period stipulated in the Homelessness Reduction Act, which is required to prevent homelessness. The shorter time period results in widespread rough sleeping. 

Refugee charities have already seen the devastating impact this reversal has had. The charity Young Roots, for example, has recorded a 50% increase in requests for support from young people sleeping rough. 

With months of cold weather ahead, and as Home Office processing of asylum decisions continues at pace, the 28-day move-on period risks creating a new homelessness crisis.  

The resources and costs of responding to this crisis in our communities will fall on already overstretched and underfunded local authorities and homelessness services, as well as increasing pressure on the NHS, and particularly on mental health services. 

We urge the government to listen to refugees, charities, local authorities and others, and restore the 56-day move-on period for all refugees, so that communities up and down the country can reap the benefits.