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