Refugee homelessness in UK has more than doubled in two years, charity says

UK Refugee Homelessness Crisis Spirals Out of Control

A stark picture of desperation has emerged among refugees in the UK, with homelessness rates more than doubling in just two years, according to a charity representing over 100 frontline organizations across the country. The staggering rise in homelessness - from 2,008 in 2022-23 to 4,434 in the past year alone - has left thousands struggling to find safe haven.

Charity officials point fingers at government policy changes and the introduction of eVisas as major culprits behind the crisis. Many refugees face an uphill battle accessing vital services and support due to bureaucratic hurdles. In fact, network members have struggled to accommodate over 3,450 newly displaced individuals in 2024-25, with many more believed to be facing homelessness.

The charity's findings paint a grim picture of refugees facing destitution and homelessness on an unprecedented scale. It's a crisis made all the more dire by rising anti-immigration sentiment and far-right rioting, which has emboldened hostility towards vulnerable groups.

One organization, Asylum Welcome in Oxfordshire, was inundated with requests for accommodation support from 48 newly recognized refugees evicted from asylum accommodations in a single month. Many were left without alternative arrangements, forced to sleep rough - an experience marred by assault and property damage.

Meanwhile, the Home Office's move-on period pilot has been criticized for its truncated timeframe of just 28 days for new refugees, giving them woefully inadequate time to sort out accommodation and employment. The pilot was short-lived, ending in September but with no indication that its shortened duration will change anytime soon.

Charities have warned that this policy poses a significant risk to vulnerable groups, including the sick, disabled, and elderly. The Home Office has refused to rule out further cuts, sparking concerns about the scale of the crisis ahead.

this is super worrying... refugees are already in such a vulnerable position & now they're facing homelessness due to gov policy changes & eVisas I mean, 3,450 new arrivals last year & the gov's move-on period pilot was only 28 days? that's not enough time for anyone to get settled it's like they expect people to magically find a place to live in just under a month and then the charities have to pick up the slack we need better support systems in place for refugees, not more hoops to jump through

omg this is so heartbreaking! I mean, I knew there was a lot of controversy around refugees in the UK but to see it spiral out of control like this is just devastating . 4,434 people are struggling with homelessness - that's almost 5,000 individuals who can't find a safe place to live . It's not just about the numbers, though - it's about the lives being affected and the trauma they're going through.

I don't think we should be focusing on blame or policy changes right now... we need to focus on supporting these people ASAP . I mean, a 28-day move-on period is basically no time at all! How are they supposed to find work, sort out healthcare, and get settled when they have less than a month? It's just not fair .

We need to come together as a society and support these refugees - we're not even talking about 'refugees' here, we're talking about human beings who are desperate for help . Let's make some noise and demand that our government does something about this crisis ASAP!

The UK's refugee homelessness crisis is spiraling out of control , with devastating consequences for thousands of people who have fled war and persecution in search of safety. The 102% increase in homelessness rates over two years is nothing short of alarming, and it's clear that policy changes and bureaucratic hurdles are to blame .

The introduction of eVisas has created a perfect storm of complexity and delay, making it even harder for refugees to access vital services and support. And let's not forget the far-right rioting, which is only exacerbating the situation by emboldening hostility towards already vulnerable groups .

I think we need to take a step back and re-examine our policies on refugee integration. A 28-day move-on period pilot is woefully inadequate, especially for those who are sick, disabled, or elderly . And as for the government's refusal to rule out further cuts... well, let's just say I'm not holding my breath .

The bottom line is that we need to do better by our refugees. We need to provide them with a safe and stable place to call home, and give them the support they need to rebuild their lives . Anything less is unacceptable.

this is so sad to hear refugees having such hard time in UK their situation only getting worse it's crazy how fast homelessness rate spiked in just 2 years. I feel for those who are forced to sleep rough, assault and property damage is not something they should have to go through

eVisas sound like a bureaucratic nightmare, I can understand why its causing so much hassle for them if uk government change policy to make things easier for refugees that would be great but until then we need charities and other organizations step up the help

omg u guys i just heard about this crazy homeless crisis in the uk like refugees are struggling so much & it's not just the us who suffers asylum welcome in oxfordshire is overwhelmed with 48 new refugees needing help in one month i feel so bad for them, they're literally forced to sleep on streets with no support. and the home office just made things worse w/ this 28 day move-on period pilot... it's like they think ppl can just magically find a place to live & job after being recognized as refugee newsflash: it takes time!