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Over the past four years, the number of refugee households experiencing homelessness or facing the risk of it has surged dramatically, increasing more than fivefold according to recent BBC findings. Official government statistics from England reveal that figures escalated from 3,560 in 2021/22 to 19,310 in 2024/25. Charitable organizations have attributed this alarming rise largely to government policies, specifically highlighting the 28-day deadline imposed on newly recognized refugees to vacate Home Office-provided accommodations, which often include hotels. In addition, changes accelerating asylum claim processing have contributed to more refugees being granted status and consequently needing housing more quickly.
The government maintains that it is dedicated to supporting refugees during their transition from asylum housing to independent living, working collaboratively with local authorities to minimize homelessness risks. However, the UK’s asylum system has long been overwhelmed, with successive administrations struggling to manage a substantial backlog of individuals awaiting decisions on their claims and appeals. Efforts to speed up the processing of asylum applications, championed by the Labour party, have resulted in more refugees being officially recognized, which in turn has increased pressure on housing availability.
Among those affected is Yusra, a 26-year-old woman who fled war in Sudan after losing her entire family. Having arrived in the UK by small boat, Yusra was housed in a government asylum hotel for about five months. Since receiving refugee status in late August, she has found herself sleeping on the streets of Greater Manchester in a tent. “Sometimes drunk people come and try to open the tent and I start screaming,” she shared. “I can’t sleep until the morning.” Despite reaching out to her local council prior to leaving government accommodation, Yusra, as a single adult without children, was classified as a low priority for social housing and is among many who receive support from organizations like the Stockport Race Equality Partnership.
Upon being granted refugee status, individuals have a limited 28-day period in which to leave government-funded housing—usually a house in multiple occupation or a hotel—and secure their own accommodation. During this time, they must also seek employment or apply for universal credit if necessary. Since the initial payment of universal credit typically takes about 35 days, refugees often find themselves without access to benefits when they lose their asylum support, causing serious housing difficulties. Jasmine Basran, Head of Policy & Campaigns at the homelessness charity Crisis, emphasized that the 28-day timeframe is insufficient for refugees to organize all aspects of their new life, noting that the actual number of homeless refugees is likely higher than official data, which only accounts for those who report their situation to local authorities.
Geographically, London and the North West of England, including cities like Manchester and Liverpool, report the highest rates of refugee homelessness or risk thereof. The borough of Hillingdon in west London has experienced the most dramatic increase, with refugee households identified as homeless rising from 71 in 2021/22 to 2,098 in 2024/25. This borough has a high concentration of asylum seekers due to its proximity to Heathrow Airport, and refugees must seek support in areas with which they have local connections, often where their asylum accommodations are situated. The government’s policies around the 28-day move-on period, efforts to clear asylum backlogs, and the shortage of judges contributing to court delays have all intensified challenges faced by refugees.
In 2023, a temporary adjustment reduced the move-on period to as little as seven days for some refugees, a change quickly reversed after the British Red Cross condemned it for causing severe destitution. Meanwhile, a 56-day pilot program granting extended time to vulnerable groups—such as pregnant women, families with children, and disabled individuals—was set to conclude in January 2026 but reportedly remains in effect. The Home Office’s latest data indicates that asylum applications rose by 13% in the year ending September 2025, with 110,000 claims submitted. At that time, over 108,000 people remained in asylum accommodation, including more than 36,000 housed in hotels. The government aims to clear the backlog of asylum claims, phase out all asylum hotels, and reduce associated costs by introducing more appropriate accommodation options to relieve pressures on local communities.
Experts like Jacqui Broadhead from the University of Oxford argue that a fundamental rethink of asylum policies might be necessary. She advocates investing in more temporary accommodation facilities managed directly rather than relying heavily on private providers operating asylum hotels. While initially used to address backlog problems, such facilities could also help alleviate broader housing shortages. Broadhead stresses the crucial need for effective coordination between the Home Office and local authorities, noting that faster asylum decisions, while beneficial in some respects, place immense strain on already stretched housing services across the country
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