VE Day: Council duties under the Armed Forces Covenant
As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Geoff Wild, Legal & Governance Consultant, looks at the duties of councils under the Armed Forces Covenant.
Asylum hotel contingency plan activated
27/03/2025 The Home Office has activated contingency plans following the axing of an asylum hotel contractor. |
Ministers in urgent plea for council help with Afghan refugees
11/03/2025 Councils have been urged to support an Afghan resettlement programme under which regions will be handed an allocation from the 6,000-7,000 annual arrivals. |
Council opposes controversial immigration centre
08/10/2024 Oxford City Council members have voted to oppose the controversial re-opening of Campsfield House as an immigration removal centre. |
Asylum hotel use may increase as small boat crossings continue
11/09/2024 Asylum hotels are expected to remain open for months, with the Home Office privately suggesting they will be required for longer than originally planned, The MJ understands. |
LGA calls for longer asylum move-on time
11/09/2024 Councils have called for people to be allowed more time to leave Home Office accommodation after receiving an asylum decision. |
Lone asylum-seeking child arrivals to Kent up 87%
15/07/2024 The number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking (UAS) children arriving in the UK along Kent’s shoreline has risen by 87%. |
Rough sleeping in London hits new record high
27/06/2024 The final year of a Conservative government that pledged to end rough sleeping saw a record number of people sleeping on the streets of London. |
Party leaders urged to act on migrant homelessness
25/06/2024 More than 100 homelessness and migrants’ rights organisations have called on the next government to stop the asylum system ‘driving people needlessly’ into destitution. |
EXCLUSIVE: Full dispersal asylum targets still in draft
12/06/2024 Ministers have not signed off the Government’s 2024 targets for identifying an extra 100,000 bedspaces for asylum seekers this year, The MJ can reveal. |
Ending asylum hotel use could put ‘unacceptable pressure’ on councils
29/05/2024 MPs have raised concerns that the Government has not engaged effectively with councils about the impact of its asylum policies on local areas. |
Agreement reached over asylum site
29/05/2024 West Lindsey District Council is set to launch a £300m regeneration scheme at RAF Scampton after the Home Office agreed to accommodate fewer asylum seekers at the site. |
Asylum seekers moved from RAF Wethersfield due to incomplete safety checks
18/04/2024 The Home Office has moved 70 people away from an asylum accommodation site after it failed to complete necessary safety checks on time. |
EXCLUSIVE: Demand surges for UASC age assessments
12/04/2024 Councils are struggling to cope with demand for age assessments of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) as record numbers arrive once again in Kent. |
Craig's call for asylum change
07/03/2024 Manchester City Council’s leader has urged Whitehall to implement ‘simple changes’ to asylum policy to ease huge pressures on major urban centres. |
Ukrainian homelessness likely to rise
22/02/2024 The risk of homelessness among Ukrainians in the UK is likely to increase as arrangements with sponsors end or break down, MPs have warned. |
EXCLUSIVE: Councils offered second chance to claim housing cash
22/02/2024 Civil servants have issued a last-minute invitation for councils to claim cash from a fund that has suffered from poor take up by local authorities. |
Council chiefs call for review of Ukrainian refugee scheme
19/02/2024 Council leaders have called for an urgent review of funding for Ukrainian refugees as 9,000 have reported as homeless and more need longer-term support. |
New legal bid as long-term asylum site plans confirmed
02/02/2024 West Lindsey DC has launched a fresh legal challenge after the Home Office confirmed its intention to use RAF Scampton to house asylum seekers. |
Rough sleeping in London reaches record high
01/02/2024 More people were sleeping rough in the capital at the end of 2023 than at any period in the past decade. |
More than 1,000 child refugees placed in adult accommodation
23/01/2024 Child refugees arriving in the UK alone are exposed to harm and abuse in adult accommodation because of the Home Office’s flawed age assessment system, according to a new report. |
Barge death concerns
18/12/2023 Concerns over conditions inside some asylum accommodation intensified last week, after the death of an asylum seeker onboard the Bibby Stockholm barge. |
Boroughs have ‘nothing to offer’ as refugee homelessness rises
07/12/2023 New research has found that an increasing number of refugees are rough sleeping in London after leaving Home Office accommodation. |
Thousands of refugees face homelessness at Christmas, LGA warns
29/11/2023 The Government’s push to clear the asylum backlog is putting ‘tens of thousands’ of refugees at risk of homelessness over Christmas, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned. |
Less than 100 homes for refugees are occupied
24/11/2023 Fewer than 100 homes acquired using a fund to support English councils obtain housing for those fleeing conflicts have been occupied, latest figures reveal. |
DLUHC defends homelessness monitoring
23/11/2023 Mandarins have denied they do not have a clear picture of homelessness levels among Ukrainian refugees. |
LGA: involve councils in asylum hotel decisions
25/10/2023 Councils want an active role in decisions about ending hotel use for asylum seekers, local government bosses have said. |
Charities call for family reunion scheme for Palestinians
23/10/2023 Charities have called for an emergency family reunion scheme for Palestinians modelled on the approach introduced after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. |
Council bosses raise concerns over refugee cap
23/10/2023 The Local Government Association (LGA) has raised concerns about plans to introduce a national cap on refugees that is informed by consultation with local authorities. |
NAO calls for Homes for Ukraine clarity
17/10/2023 Ministers must prioritise ‘important decisions’ over Homes for Ukraine – including continued funding for councils, spending watchdogs have urged. |
Further stop notice at RAF Scampton
25/09/2023 West Lindsey District Council has again told the Home Office to cease work at RAF Scampton. |
Pressure mounts on councils amid refugee homelessness warning
06/09/2023 Refugees are being told to move out of asylum support housing at short notice, adding to pressure faced by council homelessness services, 140 groups warn. |
Kent ‘once again’ cannot meet UAS children duties
29/08/2023 ‘Ever-escalating’ arrivals of asylum seekers and a ‘wholly inadequate’ National Transfer Scheme (NTS) have left Kent unable to meet its statutory duties in caring for children, the county council has warned. |
Approach to accommodating Afghan families ‘unacceptable’
15/08/2023 The approach to finding accommodation for Afghan families has been ‘unacceptable’ and represents a failure to ‘live up to Britain's values’, says think tank. |
Glasgow refuses permission for asylum barge
08/08/2023 The leader of Glasgow City Council has told the Government that the local authority would not give its consent to dock a barge for asylum seekers in the city. |
LGA: Councils already seeing homeless Afghan families
07/08/2023 Councils are already seeing Afghan families presenting as homeless due to the Government’s policy of moving them out of hotels, local authority leaders say. |
Firefighters warn Braverman over asylum barge safety
03/08/2023 The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has written to Suella Braverman about fire safety concerns in accommodation for asylum seekers, including the Bibby Stockholm. |
Boston council set to approve housing scheme for Afghan refugees
02/08/2023 Boston Borough Council is looking to provide four homes for Afghan refugees as part of a £1m project. |
Councillors told to refuse university’s ‘contentious’ asylum housing plans
01/08/2023 Officers at High Peak BC have recommended that councillors refuse the University of Derby’s plans to house asylum seekers in vacant student accommodation. |
‘Systematic’ housing of child refugees in hotels unlawful
27/07/2023 Kent County Council has acted unlawfully by failing to accommodate and look after all unaccompanied children seeking asylum, the High Court has ruled. |
Councils told to 'step up' on refugee housing
19/07/2023 The Government has told councils to ‘step up’ efforts to provide permanent homes for Afghan refugees, having served legal notices to quit to those in hotels. |
Kent launches legal action over asylum-seeking children
06/07/2023 Kent has issued a claim for judicial review against the home secretary, asking her to direct other councils to receive 'fair share’ of refugee children. |
Afghan families face homelessness as councils at ‘crisis point’
04/07/2023 Afghan families are at risk of becoming homeless due to the acute housing shortage, council chiefs warn at the start of the LGA's annual conference. |
Westminster Council seeks to become a Council of Sanctuary for refugees
28/06/2023 Westminster Council will vote today on whether it will set out to become a Council of Sanctuary, a designation awarded to institutions that welcome refugees. |
Planning inspector green lights Stafford asylum centre
26/06/2023 A Government planning inspector has overruled the local planning authority and given the go-ahead for an asylum seekers centre in Stafford. |
Council loses asylum appeal
26/06/2023 Braintree DC has lost its appeal against Government plans to house asylum seekers on a former airfield. |
Manchester leaders call for urgent action on asylum seeker hotels
22/06/2023 Manchester leaders call for urgent action on asylum seeker hotels |
£150m Ukrainian refugee housing fund announced
12/06/2023 Local authorities are now able to access £150m of funding in order to help Ukrainian families into their own homes, the Government has announced. |
Plan to house asylum seekers on ship scrapped
12/06/2023 The latest plan for a cruise ship to house asylum seekers has been scrapped after it was turned down by the port operator. |
Council chiefs call for ‘urgent solutions’ to refugee homelessness
09/06/2023 Local authority leaders have called for ‘urgent solutions’ to the issue of refugees being forced to present as homeless. |
Aslyum barges plan branded ‘cruel and unworkable’
08/06/2023 A council leader has attacked plans to house asylum seekers on barges in ports. |
Housing experts voice ‘concern’ over HMO licensing changes
25/05/2023 Housing and refugee rights experts have voiced ‘extreme concern’ over plans to remove licensing requirements for HMOs used as asylum accommodation. |
Braintree DC plans to appeal court’s airfield decision
12/05/2023 Braintree District Council is to continue with legal action to try and stop an airfield being used to house hundreds of asylum seekers. |
Welsh village opposes plans to house refugees in hotel
09/05/2023 Villagers in Wales have vowed to fight plans for 400 asylum seekers to be lodged in a former hotel. |
Council has ‘unanswered questions’ about refugee barge
04/05/2023 Dorset Council and police have criticised the Home Office for not answering key questions about plans to house asylum seekers on a barge in Portland Port. |
Council staff respond to Sudan evacuation
02/05/2023 Councils have been urged to ‘apply maximum flexibility’ when UK nationals returning from Sudan present as homeless. |
Hundreds of refugees wrongly classified as adults, FoI reveals
25/04/2023 Hundreds of young refugees are being wrongly classified as adults by the Home Office, according to new research based on information provided by councils. |
Refugees housed in hotels face ‘atmosphere of cruelty’, report says
24/04/2023 Campaigners have called on the Government to allocate councils with more funds to help them provide better services to asylum seekers housed in London hotels. |
Councils concerned over Afghan removal plan
12/04/2023 Councils have expressed deep concerns about Government plans to remove Afghan refugees from hotel accommodation amid ‘chronic’ shortage of affordable housing. |
Plan to house refugees on former RAF base on hold
11/04/2023 The Government’s plan to house asylum seekers on a former RAF airbase has been put on hold after Braintree council sought an injunction to stop the move. |
Portland mayor criticises refugee barge plan
06/04/2023 Portland mayor Pete Roper has criticised the Government’s plan to house refugees on a barge off the Dorset coast because of the pressure on local services. |
Councils offered £3,500 to house refugees on barges
05/04/2023 Councils are to be offered £3,500 per migrant for housing them on barges, according to reports. |
Plan to house refugees on a barge criticised
04/04/2023 The Government is facing fierce opposition to plans to use a barge off the Dorset coast to house asylum seekers. |
Councils criticise plans to house refugees on RAF bases
30/03/2023 Unused military sites will be used to house asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally on small boats despite local opposition, the Government has confirmed. |
Councils need ‘resources’ to support Afghan refugees
28/03/2023 Council leaders have called for more resources to help find accommodation for thousands of Afghan refugees who will be moved out of hotels. |
Half of Ukrainian refugees face housing barriers
17/03/2023 More than half of Ukrainian refugees have struggled to find somewhere affordable to rent, according to new research. |
Council leaders call for review of Homes for Ukraine scheme
14/03/2023 County council leaders are calling on the Government to review funding for the Homes for Ukraine programme. |
Change policy on housing asylum seekers in hotels, council chiefs say
13/03/2023 Two-thirds of London’s councils have called on the home secretary to change the Government’s policy on housing asylum seekers in hotels. |
Council chiefs call for support to help homeless Ukrainian refugees
24/02/2023 Council chiefs have called for support to help Ukrainian refugees as a new report estimates 4,000 Ukrainian households have been homeless in the last year. |
Number of homeless Ukrainian refugees mounts
20/02/2023 Politicians have made a cross-party call to extend support for Ukrainian refugees to prevent them becoming homeless. |
Council to buy 50 homes to support refugees
08/02/2023 Birmingham City Council is planning to buy up to 50 homes to provide temporary accommodation for displaced Afghans and Ukrainians. |
Ministers pressed over refugee funding cuts
17/01/2023 MPs have questioned the rationale behind Government cuts to funding for refugees. |
Councils flooded with ‘bogus’ refugee sponsorship offers
10/01/2023 Local authorities in London are struggling to cope with the amount of bogus Ukraine refugee sponsorship offers they receive, a migrants’ charity has warned. |
222 children ‘missing’ from care
24/10/2022 An estimated 222 unaccompanied children are currently missing from the care of the Home Office, new figures have revealed. |
Council to pay £1000 to those hosting Ukrainian guests
21/10/2022 Kent CC has announced it is increasing payments to those hosting Ukrainian guests to ensure that they can continue to host with the squeeze on budgets. |
Scottish council secures funding to refurbish flats for Ukrainian refugees
07/10/2022 North Ayrshire Council has been awarded nearly £500,000 to refurbish unused properties for people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. |
Ukrainian refugees face ‘significant risk’ of homelessness
11/08/2022 There is a risk that many Ukrainian families who have sought refuge in the UK could end up homeless because of a lack of sponsors, council leaders warn. |
London councils struggle to house Afghan refugees
09/08/2022 Local authority leaders in London have warned of a ‘severe shortage’ of long-term housing options for refugees from Afghanistan. |
Surge in homeless Ukrainian households
19/07/2022 The number of Ukrainian families in need of homelessness support from councils has almost doubled in less than a month. |
UK to take in Ukrainian child refugees
21/06/2022 The UK is to take in unaccompanied child refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine with hundreds already on their way to the UK. |
Refugees at risk of deportation due to legal aid shorfall
27/05/2022 People seeking asylum are at risk of deportation because of a lack of local legal aid provision in many areas, a new report has revealed. |
MPs warn Ukrainian refugees are being forced into B&Bs
24/05/2022 MPs have written to the Government to raise concerns about the Homes for Ukraine scheme in light of reports of Ukrainian refugees being forced into B&Bs. |
Refugees who refuse housing offers to become homeless
11/05/2022 Afghan refugees who turn down two offers of accommodation could be referred to councils as homeless. |
Councils and schools urged to help Ukrainian refugees integrate
05/05/2022 Local authorities and schools have been urged to help Ukrainian children arriving in the UK as refugees to integrate into their adopted communities. |
MPs voice ‘concerns’ over lack of funding for Ukrainian refugees
04/05/2022 MPs have joined council leaders in calling on Government to provide councils with funding to support Ukrainian refugees arriving via the family visa scheme. |
Councils need support to protect refugees from exploitation, experts say
29/04/2022 The Government has been urged to take ‘urgent measures’ to support councils in their response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis in order to tackle exploitation. |
Sponsors of Ukrainian refugees to get council tax breaks
11/04/2022 Households who become sponsors through the Homes for Ukraine scheme will not lose their council tax discounts, minister for refugees Lord Harrington confirmed. |
Councils must find school places for Ukrainian children, Zahawi says
04/04/2022 The education secretary has urged council leaders to work with families arriving from Ukraine to enable the children to attend school as soon as possible. |
Councils to fund housing for homeless refugees
01/04/2022 Local authorities will have to pick up the bill for accommodating homeless Ukrainian refugees from their own budgets, a minister has said. |
Devon councils launch Ukrainian refugee website
01/04/2022 Local authorities in Devon have launched a new website to help residents who wish to support Ukrainian refugees. |
Data issues hampering councils' refugee response
30/03/2022 Councils are struggling to prepare for the arrival of refugees due to a lack of quality data, MPs have been told. |
Councils need more guidance on supporting Ukrainian refugees, says MP
23/03/2022 Councils needs more advice and guidance from the Government in order to make the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme work, the chair of the Levelling-Up Committee has warned. |
Charity calls for ‘safeguarding measures’ to protect Ukrainian refugees
16/03/2022 Human trafficking experts have urged the Government to ensure that the Homes for Ukraine scheme includes ‘rigorous safeguarding measures’ to protect refugees. |
Councils to receive £10,000 for each Ukrainian refugee welcomed
14/03/2022 Local authorities are set to receive £10,000 for each Ukrainian refugee welcomed into their area, the communities secretary has confirmed. |
Home Office directs 29 local authorities to help unaccompanied asylum seeking children
16/02/2022 The Home Office has written to 29 local authorities directing them to help unaccompanied asylum seeking children. |
Councils to receive 'generous' funding under Afghan resettlement plan
14/09/2021 Local authorities will receive £20,520 for every person they support under the Afghan resettlement plan, the Government has confirmed. |
Kent County Council resumes admittance of lone child migrants
13/09/2021 Kent CC announces that it will resume admitting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children into its reception centres after it stopped earlier in the year. |
Government called on to help councils resettle Afghan refugees
08/09/2021 Afghan refugees have been placed in council areas without the local authorities being informed or given the necessary support, a refugee charity has warned. |
Liverpool's thriving social ecosystem
06/09/2021 Steve Rotheram outlines how the social trading sector is thriving in Liverpool due to its unique investment and development vehicle. |
Government commits £5m to help councils resettle Afghan refugees
01/09/2021 Local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland will receive £5m to help fund the resettlement of refugees who are fleeing the Taliban. |
Khan pledges Afghan resettlement help
26/08/2021 The Mayor of London has pledged funding to help councils resettle Afghan refugees. |
