A High Court order has provided a reprieve for thousands of newly recognised refugees, preventing them from being evicted onto the streets in the lead-up to Christmas. The ruling compels the Home Office to extend the period people have to leave government accommodation after being granted refugee status.
From 28 Days to 56: A Lifeline for New Refugees
The legal intervention centres on the so-called 'move-on' period. Previously, asylum seekers who were granted refugee status were given just 28 days to vacate their Home Office-provided accommodation and find their own housing, secure a job, or access benefits. Campaigners have long argued this timeframe is impossibly short, often leading to destitution.
A pilot scheme that doubled this period to 56 days had shown success, with organisations like the British Red Cross reporting a significant drop in street homelessness. However, the government decided to revert to the 28-day notice period at the end of August, sparking protests from over 60 NGOs.
Court Intervention Prevents Winter Homelessness
Faced with the prospect of thousands being made homeless in winter, lawyers from Deighton Pierce Glynn solicitors challenged the policy in the High Court. On Wednesday, an order was agreed requiring the Home Office to instruct its caseworkers to extend the move-on period to 56 days where a person demonstrates they face the imminent prospect of street homelessness.
This order, effective until 16 January, is estimated to prevent around 3,000 new refugees from ending up rough sleeping in the coming weeks. Ahmed Aydeed, the solicitor who brought the case, stated the order "will help save lives," adding that "no one should be forced into destitution and street homelessness, especially during this extreme winter weather."
The Human Cost of the 'Move-On' Cliff Edge
The ruling, however, does not apply to those already evicted. The article highlights the case of a 19-year-old Eritrean refugee who has been sleeping under a bush in north London for over two months after his eviction. Despite a perilous journey to safety, including enslavement in Libya, he found himself homeless after being granted status and deemed not in "priority need" by his local council.
Bridget Young, Director of the No Accommodation Network (NACCOM), welcomed the court's decision. "This is welcome news, which for many newly granted refugees will mean the difference between spending Christmas safely housed or on the streets," she said. She urged the government to make the 56-day move-on period permanent, calling it "unconscionable" to have allowed a surge in street homelessness during winter when support services are already stretched.
The Home Office has been approached for comment on the court order and its policy.
