'One in four' seeking shelter at key homeless agencies in Manchester, London and Leicester are refugees

Almost a quarter of those seeking shelter with key homelessness agencies in Manchester, London and Leicester are refugees, a new report has found.

Many have become homeless after struggling to find a job and accommodation before their small level of financial support is cut off – the official “move-on period” following the granting of asylum is just 28 days.

The figures come from a report given exclusively to The Independent, detailing homelessness among people who have just been granted refugee status in the UK.

The report, commissioned by the No Accommodation Network (Naccom), found that across three shelters in 2018-19, 23 per cent (36 of 156) were refugees.

In one Manchester shelter, 41 per cent (22 of 53) were refugees; in Camden it was 21 per cent (10 of 78) and at a Leicester shelter the figure stood at 16 per cent (4 of 25).

Meanwhile, the organisation’s latest figures from 2018 show that across its wider network refugees made up nearly a third of those in need of a home – 32 per cent (1,097 out of 3,471).

But with no comprehensive nationwide database monitoring homelessness in the refugee community, it’s a figure advocates say may only scratch the surface across the country.

The latest report did make some positive findings, however, with the number of homeless refugees falling slightly from 28 per cent in 2018 (47 out of 169) – albeit more of them had been granted asylum within the last year.

And 36 per cent (13 of 36) of the refugees Naccom worked with had only been granted asylum within the last six months – compared with 21 per cent (10 of 48) the previous year.

Philippe, whose name has been change to protect his identity, was one of those who found himself without a home soon after being granted asylum.

He said he had become so used to refusals that when the Home Office sent him a letter accepting his claim for asylum he saw little else.

“There was other information in the letter about work, benefits and loans, but I didn’t know what to do next.

“If someone had phoned and explained about it that would have been very helpful.”

Philippe, who was by law not permitted to work while seeking asylum, had limited means to make ends meet or put a deposit on a rental property.

He was given an advance payment while he waited five weeks for his universal credit payments to start and looked for a job – which in itself was a costly process.

“I had to pay for DBS checks and travel for interviews, and I needed to eat. I had to do all that on £250, which was very frustrating.

“To receive a housing payment, I needed a signed contract with a housing provider in place. All the private landlords I approached required references, deposits and at least one month’s rent up front.”

Head of resettlement at Refugee Action, Lou Calvey, said those waiting to be granted asylum faced a gruelling process that could last months.

She said the extended periods without work that many faced while waiting to be granted asylum put them on the back foot when the time came to be independent.

“Once asylum support is withdrawn, they will have to try navigate universal credit, get on benefits, learn English and find somewhere to live,” she added.

“It can be a really difficult and traumatic time.”

Naccom’s national director, Hazel Williams, said it was a “shocking reality” that refugees were ending up homeless.

“For too long people coming here in search of safety have been welcomed by being turfed out onto the streets,” she said.

“We call on the government to adopt the recommendations within our report and bring an end to this travesty.”

The recommendations include a call for so-called move-on period to be extended to 56 days, as well as an extension of support for asylum seekers and an increase in integration loans to reflect the cost of entering the private rental market.

A government spokesperson said: “If an asylum seeker is granted refugee status or humanitarian protection they have immediate and unrestricted access to the labour market and many mainstream benefits.

“Failed asylum seekers are expected to return to their home country, but if there is a genuine obstacle to the return they can apply for continuing support from the Home Office.

“We are considering the Naccom report and will respond in due course.”