The UK government's plan to end rough sleeping nationwide by Christmas, as pledged by Mayor Andy Burnham, may be hindered by new immigration reforms proposed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. The reforms, which include doubling the standard length of time migrants must live in the UK to gain permanent residency from five to ten years, have sparked concerns that they will drive up homelessness and poverty among migrant communities.
The No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) policy, which excludes many migrants from most welfare benefits, including Housing Benefit and social housing, has been cited as a major obstacle for migrants facing homelessness. Research by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that roughly a quarter of people sleeping rough are non-UK nationals, while the number of refugee households experiencing homelessness has increased sevenfold since 2018-19.
According to Bethan Lant, a representative from Praxis, a migrant rights charity, migrants face significant barriers in accessing support that can help prevent homelessness. Lant argues that the new immigration reforms will make it even more difficult for migrants to access permanent residency, with some refugees facing waiting periods of up to thirty years. This, she claims, will lead to an increase in homelessness and poverty among migrant communities.
The new reforms will also introduce a points-based system, where migrants who contribute more to the country, such as care workers, may be able to access five-year routes to settlement, while others, including those in low-paying jobs, will have to wait ten years. Lant criticizes this approach, stating that it boils down to what job one does and how much one earns, making settlement an endurance test.
The impact of these reforms on homelessness is a pressing concern, as migrants who are denied access to public funds and support services may be forced to sofa-surf, remain in unsafe relationships, or endure exploitation. By the time they appear in official rough sleeping statistics, they have often experienced a long period of housing insecurity.
Lant also highlights the human cost of these reforms, citing examples of clients who have been granted leave to remain but are still denied access to public funds, forcing them to move between friends' homes or face eviction. The new requirements around earnings and having no criminal record will also bar others from ever qualifying for settlement, raising concerns about the protection of vulnerable individuals.
The Home Secretary's refusal to disclose the impact of her plans on homelessness has sparked criticism from fellow ministers and migrant rights groups. As the government moves forward with its plans, concerns about the consequences for migrant communities and the goal of ending rough sleeping nationwide by Christmas continue to grow.
Key points
- The UK's new immigration reforms may exacerbate homelessness and poverty among migrant communities.
- Migrants face significant barriers in accessing support that can help prevent homelessness due to the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) policy.
- The reforms will introduce a points-based system, where migrants who contribute more to the country may be able to access faster routes to settlement.
