William Eichler 07 August 2023

LGA: Councils already seeing homeless Afghan families

LGA: Councils already seeing homeless Afghan families  image
Image: PradeepGaurs / Shutterstock.com.

Local authorities are already seeing Afghan families presenting as homeless due to the Government’s policy of moving them out of hotels, says the Local Government Association (LGA).

Cllr Shaun Davies, chair of the LGA, said that it was wrong that some families are having to leave Home Office-funded hotels ‘only to then end up having to move into temporary accommodation.’

The situation was also likely to ‘worsen significantly’ as the Home Office stops paying for the remaining bridging hotels for Afghan families, he warned.

A Government spokesperson said: ‘Hotels are not, and were never designed to be, long-term accommodation for Afghans resettled in the UK and it is not in their best interests to be living in hotel accommodation for months or years on end.’

Cllr Davies said that there was more to do to ensure a smooth transition for Afghan families which doesn’t pass costs and responsibility from the Government to councils.

‘We would like to work with councils and Government to look at greater flexibilities around hotel move on given the pace and scale of the challenge,’ he said.

‘Government should pay to keep hotel places open for those struggling to find accommodation. This is likely to include large families or families that will be matched with properties that, due to Government funding arrangements, will only be available after the closure of interim hotels in December.’

Cllr Davies also said that councils would like to see access to Ministry of Defence accommodation widened to all those in hotels and added that hotels should not be closed just to switch to becoming hotels for other new arrivals.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Executive Director – Adult Social Care, Health & Wellbeing

Sefton Borough Council
£131,208 (Hay 1)
Lead with Purpose. Build on Excellence. Shape the Future of Health and Wellbeing in Sefton. Sefton (Metropolitan borough), Merseyside
Recuriter: Sefton Borough Council

Strategic Finance Business Partners (five roles)

Nottingham City Council
up to £80k
Nottingham is a bold, vibrant, and exciting Core City at the heart of the UK, alive with potential and ambition. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Recuriter: Nottingham City Council

Director of Finance (Strategy) – deputy S151

Nottingham City Council
up to £125k
Nottingham is a bold, vibrant, and exciting Core City at the heart of the UK, alive with potential and ambition. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Recuriter: Nottingham City Council

Customer Specialist

Essex County Council
Up to £25081.00 per annum
Customer SpecialistPermanent, Part Time£25,081 pro rataLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Customer Specialist

Essex County Council
£25081.00 - £27653.00 per annum
Customer SpecialistPermanent, Part Time£25,081 to £27,653 pro rataLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council
Linkedin Banner