Local authority leaders have called for more resources to help find accommodation for thousands of Afghan refugees who will be moved out of hotels into alternative housing.
Veterans’ affairs minister Johnny Mercer will reportedly announce today that between 8,000 and 9,000 refugees from Afghanistan will be moved from ‘hotel bridging accommodation’ and into new homes.
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA) said that they share the ambition to move people out of hotels.
However, they said that local authorities will need ‘sufficient resources and flexibilities’ to assist with finding and funding accommodation.
‘We will continue working with government to tackle the current shortage of accommodation across local communities and on the need for coordination of local arrangements so councils can provide families and individuals with certainty and support,’ they said.
‘Councils also need to be involved alongside health, schools and childcare, transport, police and their communities for any new sites for asylum seekers so these are properly planned, fairly distributed across the UK and any new arrivals kept safe and supported.’
To read more about how local authorities are reacting to this policy visit The MJ (£).
