World Homeless Day
World Homeless Day takes place on Monday 10th October, which shines a light on the issues of homelessness and inadequate housing. Homelessness is particularly an issue with non-UK nationals; migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.
Inflated property rates along with poor wages and irregular work opportunities are the reasons why so many people find themselves without homes. The Covid-19 pandemic also significantly affected non-UK nationals, as they were especially at risk of losing employment or being forced to leave precarious housing, or were unable to afford to self-isolate or shield.
For women, domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness. A lot of our clients are domestic violence victims that require help with being rehomed.
The number of homeless people in England is predicted to jump by a third by 2024 due to benefits freezes and the cost of living crisis that sees soaring food & energy bills.
For many people, their immigration status, and inability to access public funds make it more difficult for them to escape homelessness. Homeless Link and NACCOM state that non-UK nationals are more vulnerable to homelessness and destitution than people with UK citizenship.
With the Right to Rent scheme, about 42% of landlords are now less likely to rent to people who do not have a British passport out of fear of being criminally charged if they accidentally house someone they weren’t supposed to.
In 2020, 29 asylum-seekers died in Home Office accommodation, which reflects the government’s hostile environment.
People with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) are excluded from access to public funds such as homelessness assistance, social housing and some benefits, including Universal Credit; Housing benefits and Income-based jobseekers’ allowance.
However they may still be able to access contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; Contribution-based Employment & Support Allowance; housing provided by a housing association; NHS services (though primary care is universal, some restrictions apply to secondary care); and education.
Mainstream homelessness services do not always have the specialist provisions that migrants, refugees and asylum seekers require. Overcoming barriers often depends on access to good quality, independent immigration advice, and currently, the capacity for immigration advice falls far short of need in England.
We provide free legal advice for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees that are homeless, sleeping rough or with No Recourse to Public Funds.
We are opening our first emergency housing Crash Pad in February 2023 for people with nowhere to stay. If you would like to donate to help us with this project, you can do so here.
Thank you!
