Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 22
22
Accepted
Increased asylum decisions burden local authorities with rising homelessness and significant costs.
Conclusion
The National Audit Office reported that the increase in asylum decisions had placed greater pressure on local authorities to support refugees in finding accommodation, and increased the risk of homelessness and rough sleeping.35 We received written evidence from the London Councils, which told us that there were 311 refugees sleeping rough across London in January 2023, after leaving Home Office accommodation.36 The Local Government Association also reported significant rises in homelessness for those leaving asylum accommodation.37 Furthermore, we received reports of councils facing significant cost burdens in relation to the interactions with the Home Office. In its written evidence to us, West Lindsey District Council, the council within which the large site at Scampton resides, told us that it, and its neighbouring councils, had spent more than 1,500 staff hours in meetings with the Home Office, and additionally had spent nearly £0.5 million in staff and other expenses to manage the Home Office’s requirements.38
Government Response Summary
The government will establish a working group with the Local Government Association and local authority leads to address issues related to asylum casework and move-on, and commits to sharing regular, timely data and management information through tools like the Discontinuation Prediction Tool and the forthcoming Place Based Visibility Tool.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 4.2 The Home Office will establish a working group with the Local Government Association and Local Authority Chief Executive regional leads to address issues raised at the national Asylum, Resettlement Councils Senior Engagement Group. This group will identify, and address issues related to Asylum Casework and Move On from asylum accommodation. 4.3 Central to Home Office plans to collaborate and work with Local Authorities (LAs) is sharing regular, timely and relevant data and Management Information to allow effective planning. We are building a number of tools to provide updates to individual Local Authorities. The Discontinuation Prediction Tool (DPT) is shared weekly with Strategic Migration Partners (SMPs) for onward sharing with LAs to provide a 4-week prediction of cases (by group size). This enables LAs to anticipate potential demand on their services and to support a smoother transition from Home Office accommodation to mainstream services. The Place Based Visibility Tool (PBVT) which shows pre-decision asylum cases specific to an area will be built and shared once plans for asylum casework are confirmed and will include Resettlement and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children/National Transfer Scheme data. The department will look to further develop LA reporting dependent on Home Office Data Infrastructure.