Brief Outline of the Study

This research examines housing challenges faced by refugees in the UK, looking at the different ways people become refugees and how this affects their housing situation. The study compares asylum seekers who navigate the system independently with those who come through organized government resettlement programs, identifying what makes some refugees more likely to experience homelessness than others. Drawing on existing evidence and recent data from the 1990s to today, the research analyzes current government support and explores how policy changes could improve housing outcomes for all refugees, regardless of how they gained their status.

Findings in Brief

• Refugees who came through the asylum system face much higher homelessness risk compared to those in organized resettlement schemes.
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• The number of people sleeping rough after leaving asylum housing jumped by 223% in just three months (June-September 2023).
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• Refugees in organized resettlement programs typically avoid homelessness because they get housing-focused support and structured assistance.
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• The 28-day "move-on period" after getting asylum creates immediate housing crisis, with many councils unable to help newly recognized refugees in this short timeframe.
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• Multiple factors make refugee homelessness worse: welfare changes, Right to Rent policy discrimination, family reunion complications, and limited access to social housing.
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• 42% of landlords in 2017 (rising to 44% in 2018) said they were less likely to rent to someone without a British passport because of Right to Rent rules.
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• Ukrainian refugees face higher homelessness risk than other resettlement groups, with over 4,000 Ukrainian households needing homelessness support from councils.
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• Afghan refugees spent 12-18 months in bridging hotels before rehousing, with average household size of 5.4 people creating accommodation challenges.
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• Access to social housing has become more politically controversial and less available to refugees over time, pushing them into private rental market.
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• Things that lead to better outcomes include: English language support, job opportunities, social housing access, dedicated keyworker support, and strong social connections.

Recommendations in Brief

• Extend the 28-day move-on period after asylum decisions to at least 56 days to give adequate time for housing arrangements.
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• Reform Right to Rent policy by removing heavy fines that make landlords avoid renting to people without British passports.
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• Create national and local refugee resettlement strategies with clear frameworks for rights, responsibilities, and partnership working.
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• Ensure consistent, adequate funding across all refugee programs to create equal support levels.
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• Encourage social housing providers to actively develop housing options and guidance for refugees.
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• Provide face-to-face support for all new refugees with dedicated caseworker ratio of 1:10, regardless of how they gained status.
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• Build leadership capacity within refugee communities through training programs and community champion initiatives.
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• Ensure policy changes are assessed for equality impact with systematic data collection based on immigration status.
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• Provide trauma-informed, personalized, and gradually reducing support based on individual needs rather than standard approaches.

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