Young people at risk from latest Government decision

Thousands of young people come through our doors every year. They are all human beings, all individuals with different stories. We’ve proudly worked with anyone who needs us in Greater London for over half a century and that’s always included people not originally from the UK.

Over the past few years we have seen a deeply disturbing increase in people who have gone through unimaginable stress and trauma coming to us for support. An increasing number of these people have been through the legal UK immigration or asylum system, and then been evicted from Home Office accommodation and pushed directly into homelessness at the exact moment they start to rebuild their lives. We are part of the movement that pushed for the extension of the ‘move-on period’ from Home Office accommodation from 28 days to 56 days. Yesterday, on 1st September, the Government reversed this decision.

The majority of the young people we support who have come to our services from Home Office accommodation (often hotels) are refugees with indefinite leave to remain. This means government has granted them safety in the UK – acknowledging the horrors and trauma they are leaving behind in their home countries. It means they have the right to live as a member of our society for as long as they need, with the rights and support available to the rest of the UK’s citizens. These people could now be forced directly into homelessness. We think that is unacceptable and cruel.

We also know that the evidence clearly states that giving someone 28 days to leave their accommodation is nonsensical and costs the state and taxpayer far more than simply extending to 56 days. Reverting back to 28 days goes against human rights recommendations and the Government’s own guidance in the Homelessness Reduction Act. On average it takes 35 days to apply for and receive Universal Credit, even longer for other benefits. Giving people less time to find a job and their own place to live is simply illogical.

For the last two years the homelessness sector (local councils and charities) have had to pick up the pieces of disjointed asylum policies such as these. This decision shows a lack of the cross-departmental working and evidence based thinking we were promised by this Government; it is hard to see how an effective strategy to end homelessness can be implemented with decisions like this being made. It is additionally concerning because we still don’t have a new Homelessness Minister in place (our 17th minister in the past 15 years) to help us advocate against this change.

We resolutely believe this decision should be reversed and the 56 day move-on period be made permanent. Because of our politicians’ actions (and silence) refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers are already facing a wave of racism and xenophobia. Do they really have to face a wave of homelessness too?