Refugees: Homelessness
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing the move-on period for newly recognised refugees from 56 days to 28 days on (a) rates of refugee homelessness and (b) local authority budgets and services.
Answered by Alex Norris
From 1 September 2025, the Home Office took the decision to pause the 56 day move on period pilot for single adults in receipt of a positive asylum decision, with the exception of individuals who are pregnant, over the age of 65 or have a known/evidence disability, as defined by the 2010 Equality Act.
This decision was taken to ensure that the asylum system continues to run efficiently, enabling the Home Office to continue reducing the overall number of asylum hotels in use, and the number of people staying in them.
We continue to work with local authorities and use our Asylum Move On Liaison Officers alongside Migrant Help to support newly recognised refugees during the move on period and to mitigate the risk of homelessness.
The Home Office will continue to monitor the impact of all our policies on the number of hotels in use for accommodating asylum seekers, the overall cost of the asylum accommodation estate, the wider effect on local communities, and any pressures placed on local authorities and public amenities.
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