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Refugees: Social Rented Housing

Asked by David SimmondsConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 30 April 2025UIN 46895

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of former foreign national asylum seekers granted (a) refugee status and (b) settlement claiming social housing.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

My Department does not hold information on former foreign national asylum seekers claiming social housing who were formally granted refugee status and/or settlement.

The Department’s social housing lettings in England statistical series includes information based on self-reported status. It can be found on gov.uk here.

It shows that 2.0% of new social housing lettings in 2023/24 were to households who self-reported as refugees (4,100 households). There were 1,000 households who self-reported that they were housed by The National Asylum Support Service immediately before their new social letting (0.4% of new social lettings).

Care should be taken when considering figures for new social lettings to refugees and asylum seekers. CORE data is based on specific definitions and there may be overlaps and households missing from the statistics presented above.

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