Call for refugees in UK to have twice as long to find homes after hotel evictions

Exclusive: Charities say Home Office should allow 56 days after near 1,000% rise in rough sleeping among accommodation leavers

Leading homelessness and refugee charities have called on the government to double the number of days that newly recognised refugees are given to find a home before being evicted from asylum hotels, after a near 1,000% rise in rough sleeping among Home Office accommodation leavers since July.

In a letter addressed to James Cleverly, 16 homelessness and refugee charities – including St Mungo’s, Shelter and the Refugee Council – called on the home secretary to increase the number of days refugees granted leave to remain in the UK are given to move out of Home Office accommodation from 28 to at least 56 days.