The number of refugee households in England who are homeless or at risk of homelessness has increased nearly five times over the past four years, according to the latest government figures, prompting renewed criticism from charities and experts over the impact of asylum policies and the lack of adequate housing support. Official data shows that refugee households facing homelessness rose sharply from 3,560 in 2021/22 to 19,310 in 2024/25, highlighting what campaigners describe as a deepening crisis linked directly to government decisions.
Charities working with refugees say the surge is largely driven by the limited 28-day “move-on” period granted to people once they are formally recognised as refugees. During this short window, individuals must leave Home Office-provided accommodation, find independent housing, secure employment or apply for welfare benefits. Aid organisations argue that the timeframe is unrealistic, particularly given pressures in the housing market and delays in accessing financial support.
The issue has intensified as successive governments have struggled to manage an overburdened asylum system. After years of slow processing and large backlogs, the current Labour government has prioritised speeding up asylum decisions. While this has resulted in more people being granted refugee status, it has also meant a growing number are simultaneously required to find accommodation in areas already facing housing shortages.
Homelessness charities report that young women are increasingly seeking help. One such case is Yusra, a 26-year-old refugee from Sudan, who arrived in the UK after fleeing conflict that claimed the lives of her entire family. After spending several months in a government-funded asylum hotel, she was granted refugee status in late August but was unable to secure housing within the required timeframe. Since then, she has been sleeping in a tent on the streets of Greater Manchester. She described living in constant fear, saying she struggles to sleep as people sometimes attempt to open her tent at night.
Before being asked to leave her asylum accommodation, Yusra approached her local council for help. However, as a single adult without children, she was classed as a low priority for social housing. She said she came to the UK hoping for safety and stability but now regrets the decision, describing life as extremely difficult since becoming homeless. She is currently receiving support from a local refugee organisation, one of many charities stepping in to fill gaps in statutory support.
Once asylum support ends, refugees often face a financial cliff edge. While they are expected to apply for universal credit if they cannot immediately find work, the government estimates that the first payment typically takes around 35 days to arrive. Charities say this mismatch leaves many refugees without income or housing, pushing them into destitution.
Jasmine Basran, head of policy and campaigns at homelessness charity Crisis, said the 28-day period is insufficient for refugees to navigate housing, employment and benefits systems simultaneously. She added that the figures likely underestimate the true scale of the problem, as government data only includes households that formally approach local authorities.
Regional data shows that London and the North West have the highest proportions of homeless or at-risk refugee households. The west London borough of Hillingdon recorded the sharpest increase, with refugee households rising from 71 in 2021/22 to 2,098 in 2024/25. The area accommodates a high number of asylum seekers due to its proximity to Heathrow Airport, and refugees are required to seek help from councils where they have a local connection, often the same area as their asylum accommodation.
A recent National Audit Office report criticised a series of short-term and reactive policies, warning that they have merely shifted pressures within the system and contributed to rising homelessness. The report highlighted changes to the move-on period, efforts to clear asylum backlogs without adequate planning, and shortages of judges causing delays in appeals.
Although a pilot scheme extending the move-on period to 56 days was briefly introduced last year, it ended early and reverted to 28 days, except for some vulnerable groups. Previous attempts to shorten the period further were reversed after charities warned of severe destitution.
With asylum claims rising to 110,000 in the year ending September 2025 and more than 108,000 people still in asylum accommodation, experts say long-term reform is essential. Academics have called for better coordination between the Home Office and local authorities and greater investment in temporary accommodation to ease both refugee homelessness and wider housing pressures, warning that without structural change, the crisis is likely to worsen.
