UK home secretary’s colleagues demand data on homelessness risk — The Guardian
In the United Kingdom, colleagues of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood have expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of detailed information about a possible rise in homelessness following proposed changes to the asylum system. The Guardian reported this, citing government sources.
According to the publication’s sources, Mahmood was repeatedly asked to provide an assessment of the reform’s consequences for homelessness and social cohesion. Some ministers believe that the Home Office could release more data but does not want to acknowledge the scale of potential disruptions.
Risks for local authorities
In a recently published impact assessment of the reform, the Home Office acknowledged the risk of rising homelessness. The document states that a reduction in disposable income due to the reimbursement mechanism could lead to financial hardship or destitution for some people. This, in turn, could increase demand for homelessness services and support for people sleeping rough, as well as intensify financial pressure on local authorities.
At the same time, Mahmood’s allies say that the exact scale of the risk cannot yet be determined, as the reimbursement mechanism has not yet been finalized. They assure that reimbursement thresholds and rates should be designed so that people retain sufficient funds for basic needs.
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Disputes over accommodating asylum seekers
The changes proposed by Mahmood envisage abolishing permanent residence status and the state’s obligation to support people who would otherwise face destitution. Ministers responsible for housing policy feared that moving asylum seekers out of hotels could increase the number of people sleeping rough and prevent the government from achieving its goal of halving rough sleeping by the end of the parliamentary term.
A Home Office spokesperson said the policy had undergone the standard interdepartmental approval procedure, and information had been shared as part of the formal process. The department also stressed that ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers would not leave people without housing: they are planned to be moved into more suitable accommodation. According to the Home Office, the reforms have already saved taxpayers more than £1 billion since the election.
The issue is expected to be discussed at meetings of senior officials over the next ten days. Separately, ministers are to decide whether to make an exception for care sector workers in plans that make it more difficult to obtain the right to permanent residence.
