Refugee housing policy is ‘confused’

The government should establish detailed settlement plans that
recognise the different stages of refugee housing need, a new
report by the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust has
urged.

The study on housing and community development issues for refugees
in areas of dispersal in Yorkshire and Humberside highlights the
need for more to be done to ensure the smooth settlement of
refugees.

It says the settlement and integration of refugees under the
government’s current dispersal system is “a confusion of
responsibilities, overlapping policies and crowded initiatives”,
which fails to meet refugees’ needs.

The report calls for the National Asylum Support Service, the
Housing Corporation and regional development agencies to be
involved in drawing up the planning and delivery of housing along
with local authorities.

Areas where refugees are dispersed should be effectively prepared
and resourced in order to “prevent refugees being put on the
front-line of abuse in deprived areas”. 

– Between Nass and A Hard Place from www.hact.org.uk