Refugees are facing “widespread homelessness” after only being given seven days notice to leave temporary accommodation, a bishop has warned.
Ministers told the Bishop of London that those with an asylum claim are given a 28-day period or longer to leave Home Office housing.
But in the House of Lords, the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally said that this was not proving to be the case in practice.
Many of those who support refugees are receiving increasing numbers of concerns that refugees are being given as few as seven days’ notice before being evicted, causing widespread homelessness and greater concern
She told peers: “Many of those who support refugees are receiving increasing numbers of concerns that refugees are being given as few as seven days’ notice before being evicted, causing widespread homelessness and greater concern.
“Last week, I, along with 45 faith and belief leaders, wrote to the minister for illegal migration and the faith minister about this. What data is the Home Office collecting that demonstrates that the 28-day notice period is being properly implemented? What action will it take to review it, given reported failures to do so?”
Home Office minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom responded: “I will go through the process: all individuals who receive a positive decision on their asylum claim can remain on support and in their accommodation for at least 28 days from when their decision is served.
“However… current practice is that individuals remain on that support and in accommodation for 28 days from the point of the biometric residence permit being issued. That can be five to seven days after the asylum decision.
There are at least three opportunities there where the asylum seeker, or the asylum claimant who has received a decision, will be notified. They have plenty of time
“This means that individuals have longer than the 28-day notice after receiving their grant of leave to make onward arrangements. Confirmation of the exact date that an individual’s support and accommodation are due to end will be issued in a notice-to-quit or notice-to-vacate letter from the individual’s accommodation provider. This notice will be issued at least seven days before support and accommodation is due to end.
“There are at least three opportunities there where the asylum seeker, or the asylum claimant who has received a decision, will be notified. They have plenty of time.”
Further questioning about the deadline revealed that the minister was unable to say when refugees were first notified of the need to leave their accommodation.
Crossbencher Baroness Watkins of Tavistock asked: “Is the minister confident that these refugees are made aware when they get their biometric assessment that the 28 days is commencing, or do they not realise that until they get the seven-day notice?”
The reality for many refugees with newly granted status is that they are required to leave their accommodation, often within seven days from being given a notice to quit. That means they are forced to go to their local authorities and many of them are homeless or on the streets
Lord Sharpe was not able to confirm, telling peers: “I am going to look into that, because I do not know. I assume that they are made aware of it, of course, but I have not been present when one of these notices is issued. I will find out.”
Labour Home Office spokesman Lord Coaker meanwhile claimed that “the reality for many refugees with newly granted status is that they are required to leave their accommodation, often within seven days from being given a notice to quit”.
He added: “That means they are forced to go to their local authorities and many of them are homeless or on the streets. That is the reality, and it is the result of Government policy. All the minister tells us is that everything is fine, but it is not. It needs sorting out.”
Lord Sharpe continued to insist there was a 28-day notice period, telling the Lords: “He is right that they get seven days from the notice to quit, but they get 28 days from the issue of the biometric residence permit, so it is not quite right.”
