Afghan asylum seekers ‘at risk of homelessness due to housing shortage’

Thousands of Afghans have been served notice by the Home Office to leave their temporary bridging hotels by the end of August.

Around 8,000 Afghan individuals and families have been served notice by the Home Office to leave their temporary bridging hotels by the end of August (PA) (PA Wire)

Afghan asylum seekers are at risk of becoming homeless due to a housing shortage and long waiting lists, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.

Around 8,000 Afghan individuals and families have been served notice by the Home Office to leave their temporary bridging hotels by the end of August, the LGA said in a statement.

They have been provided with information about available support for them to find their own accommodation.

However, the LGA warned that the short timeframe combined with nationwide housing shortages is making it difficult for local councils to secure accommodation in time.

We are at crisis point

Shaun Davies, LGA

It comes as the LGA will host its annual conference in Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Ahead of the conference, the organisation has called on the Government to improve its engagement with councils, and to recognise the complexities they face.

Among the issues raised include the funding of councils for their support for Ukrainian households, the change to the roles and responsibilities for councils proposed in the Illegal Migration Bill, and the impact on local services of the rapid rise in numbers of new arrivals.

New LGA chairman Shaun Davies will say in his first speech at the annual conference on Tuesday that councils are at a “crisis point”.

“Councils have a proud history of stepping up and supporting asylum seekers and refugees to settle in the UK and rebuild their lives. But combined pressures from government asylum and resettlement schemes are growing on councils.

“We are at crisis point.

“We want to work with the Government to get this right. Not just in a way that best supports the people arriving in the UK but also tackles the unsustainable pressures on our local services and on our communities.”