HOUSING

Thousands of refugees face homelessness at Christmas, LGA warns

The Government’s push to clear the asylum backlog is putting ‘tens of thousands’ of refugees at risk of homelessness over Christmas, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.

The Government's push to clear the asylum backlog is putting ‘tens of thousands' of refugees at risk of homelessness over Christmas, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.

The Home Office has forecast that 90,000 asylum application decisions will be made before the end of the year.

The LGA said large numbers of people are already turning to councils for support, and are often not given enough notice that they need to leave Home Office accommodation.

Local authorities are also not receiving timely information about how many people will be leaving asylum accommodation, the association said.

LGA chair Shaun Davies said: ‘Councils work incredibly hard to support asylum and resettlement but are facing a perfect storm in the run up to Christmas which could see tens of thousands of refugees having to sleep rough.

‘Demand for temporary accommodation is already at an all-time high with councils struggling to source suitable accommodation and cater for current needs.

‘Pushing tens of thousands of refugees out of Home Office accommodation onto councils will overload the system and mean they simply cannot provide for these vulnerable people's needs.'

The LGA has pressed the Government for urgent funding, information about how many people will need support, and for people to be given the full 28 days' notice before they have to leave asylum accommodation.

HOUSING

Re-wiring the state

By Ann McGauran | 27 June 2025

Sheffield’s network of Family Hubs are playing a crucial role in testing key aspects of the Government’s public service reform agenda. Ann McGauran reports.

HOUSING

We're ready to lead

By Joanna Killian | 27 June 2025

Ahead of the LGA Conference, Joanna Killian says the sector should take confidence in how far it has come and the potential that lies ahead, and that its fut...

HOUSING

Government isn't listening

26 June 2025

The Spending Review was a missed opportunity to sort out the funding crisis in local government, says Sir Ed Davey. He calls on government to be much bolder ...

HOUSING

Forging the future

By Martin Ford | 25 June 2025

With the sector in crisis and the need for radical change, fundamental questions are being asked about what local government is for. Martin Ford reports.

Popular articles by Ellie Ames