Across the United Kingdom, multiple cities have witnessed a dramatic rise in homelessness among newly recognised refugees and asylum seekers during 2023–2024. According to the Refugee Council, a process designed to provide safety—namely being granted refugee status—has, paradoxically, been pushing many into rough sleeping and destitution.
This article explores the scale of this crisis in areas such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and London, identifies its primary causes, and outlines the resulting policy responses.
Surging Homelessness Among Newly Recognised Refugees
Official statistics paint a stark picture. Between September 2023 and September 2024, 21,650 households in England sought homelessness support immediately after leaving asylum accommodation—a 250% jump year on year (Refugee Council – “Top 10 Facts”).
By early 2024, data compiled by Inside Housing showed a 350% increase in refugee homelessness compared to the previous year. In the first quarter of 2024, 3,530 former asylum-seeker households were deemed homeless, up from 1,420 in Q1 2023.
Local authorities also recorded alarming trends. As reported by The Independent, nearly 19,500 refugees were homeless by the end of 2023, and an additional 18,000 contacted councils for help in the first nine months of 2024. Almost 100 councils had more refugee homelessness cases from January to September 2024 than in the entire previous year. By late 2024, charities such as the No Accommodation Network (NACCOM) had declared it a “refugee homelessness emergency.”
Key Drivers of the Crisis
- Short ‘Move-On’ Period
Historically, recognised refugees had 28 days to leave Home Office accommodation and transition to mainstream housing or benefits. Even that timeframe was deemed insufficient by most charities (Refugee Council – Move-On Advice). In August 2023, the Home Office effectively reduced it to 7 days for many people, as documented by the British Red Cross, causing what they termed “devastating levels of destitution.” This policy shift triggered an estimated threefold rise in evictions directly into homelessness (The Big Issue – “Evicted into Homelessness”). - Accelerated Backlog Clearance
To meet political targets, the UK government expedited decisions on a huge asylum backlog in 2023, sometimes finalising “three years’ worth” of claims in mere months (Mancunian Matters). While the rapid clearance helped individuals stuck in limbo, it also meant unprecedented numbers of new refugees faced eviction all at once. In Birmingham, about 1,000 asylum seekers were notified they must leave asylum accommodation between August and December 2023, overwhelming the city’s resources (The Big Issue). - Insufficient Exit Support
Refugees often receive no integrated support to secure housing, open bank accounts, or access benefits once recognised (Refugee Council – Transition Guidance). Delays in crucial documentation—Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) or National Insurance numbers—further hinder rental applications. Local governments and charities, including the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU), report no additional funding or notice when hundreds of cases are resolved simultaneously. - Housing Market Pressures
The UK’s affordable housing crisis exacerbates the situation. Refugees must compete in a market with rising rents and limited social housing. Local authorities already under strain have minimal capacity for emergency placements. The cost-of-living crisis also fuels this shortfall, meaning many newly granted refugees face “fewer safety nets than ever” (GMIAU – Housing Briefing). - Policy Changes for Specific Groups
The abrupt closure of Afghan bridging hotels by the end of 2023 displaced thousands of evacuees, compounding local pressures. Some had just 90 days to find alternative housing (Greater Manchester Combined Authority). Meanwhile, asylum seekers with refused claims and “no recourse to public funds” face outright destitution—though this is a parallel issue in the broader landscape of migrant homelessness (NACCOM).
City-by-City Impacts
- Manchester (Greater Manchester): Local leaders anticipated up to 3,000 people receiving status by end-2023. They estimated 2,500 would require homelessness support, with some boroughs reporting 70% of rough sleepers were newly recognised refugees recently evicted (Mancunian Matters). Mayor Andy Burnham accused the government of offloading responsibilities onto under-resourced councils, calling it a “created crisis” (The Big Issue).
- Birmingham: Already grappling with financial problems, Birmingham City Council faced 1,000 new evictions by Christmas 2023. Officials labelled it “unprecedented,” equating the surge to “multiple years of cases” arriving in under half a year. Charities scrambled to provide sleeping bags as existing shelters overflowed (The Big Issue).
- Leeds: Here, homelessness among new refugees skyrocketed eightfold within a few months post-August 2023. The Big Issue documented 70 refugee households made homeless between August and October, up from just 8 in the same period the prior year. Crisis called it “a humanitarian emergency,” noting that some individuals lacked warm clothing or documents when evicted (The Big Issue).
- Other Cities: In London, homelessness claims by refugees leaving asylum accommodation rose 239% over two years (Trust for London). Liverpool warned of over 1,000 asylum seekers simultaneously leaving Home Office support, while Glasgow anticipated 1,400 new status grants by year-end. Nottingham saw around 50 newly recognised refugees in crisis within weeks of August 2023’s tightened policy (The Guardian). Newcastle City Council formally condemned 7-day evictions and urged a minimum of 56 days (Asylum Matters).
Policy Responses and Political Perspectives
Initially, the Home Office denied any policy shift from 28 to 7 days. Later, then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman controversially proposed banning rough sleeping in tents, alleging some made a “lifestyle choice” (The Big Issue). Under mounting pressure, Labour announced a trial of a 56-day move-on period from December 2024 to June 2025, letting some asylum seekers work earlier, and significantly increasing affordable housing. They also plan to invest in social housing and unfreeze Local Housing Allowance rates, aiming to reduce the immediate risks of homelessness for new refugees.
The spike in refugee homelessness during 2023–2024 highlights deep flaws in the UK’s asylum support system and broader housing market. A confluence of factors—compressed asylum decision backlogs, curtailed move-on windows, and severe shortages of affordable accommodation—continues to funnel newly recognised refugees onto the streets. In cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, London, and other councils and charities are overwhelmed by growing requests for help.
Recent measures—like piloting a 56-day support period—suggest policymakers are beginning to recognise the scale of the crisis. Yet meaningful solutions require permanent alignment between asylum accommodations, mainstream homelessness laws, and local council resources. Many advocates argue that simple administrative fixes—ensuring immediate issuance of documents and benefits, allowing earlier work permissions, and guaranteeing sufficient move-on support—could drastically reduce this humanitarian emergency.
Ultimately, the crisis underscores a clear imperative: people who have fled conflict and persecution should not find themselves sleeping rough in the country that granted them refuge. With coordinated policy changes, better-funded housing programs, and sustained political will, the UK can transition from evicting newly recognised refugees to meaningfully welcoming them.
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