A snapshot LGA survey shows councils want more time between asylum seekers receiving a decision on their application and having to move out of Home Office accommodation.
The survey, which looked at the asylum decision backlog clearance programme between August 2023 and March 2024, asked councils about the ‘move on’ period – the time between an applicant receiving a decision and having to leave the Home Office-funded accommodation they were in while awaiting their outcome.
The findings show that the sudden ending of central government support for asylum seekers has impacted on nine in 10 councils financially and added to staff pressures.
A similar proportion of council respondents (89 per cent) said that the ending of central government support after ‘move on’ periods had contributed to a rise in homelessness presentations, and around three-fifths said it led to increased street homelessness. When asked about the most effective way to reduce costs, 84 per cent of respondents said an “extension to the 28-day move-on timeframe to 56 days, in line with the Homelessness Reduction Act”.
Funding for councils to provide ‘move on’ support, including to help adults and families find new homes, was the other suggestion most frequently raised by councils.
With a new backlog clearance programme announced in July, councils want to work with government to develop a place-based approach that helps newly recognised refugees move on from asylum accommodation.
Cllr Louise Gittins, LGA Chair, said: “Increasing the move-on time to 56 days would bring this into line with best practice around supporting other vulnerable people to find homes, and reduce the risk of homelessness and destitution locally.”