Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help relieve pressure on levels of asylum accommodation.

We have been working closely with our accommodation providers to increase the amount of Dispersed Accommodation (DA) available to us. The full asylum dispersal model, announced on 13 April 2022, will gradually end the use of hotels. This will be achieved by allowing the Home Office to procure dispersal properties within the private rental sector in all Local Authority areas across England, Scotland and Wales, rather than the minority of Local Authorities which currently participate. This approach will also reduce pressures on those Local Authorities.

We explore new and alternative sites as part of our contingency planning to ensure we have enough capacity across the system to meet expected demand and meet our statutory obligations.

Regarding Local Authorities who support people through the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) or the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) will receive £20,520 per person, over 3 years, for resettlement and integration costs. They have the flexibility to use this funding to contribute towards renting accommodation, including deposit, letting fees and necessary furnishings.

Local authorities and health partners who resettle families will also receive up to £4,500 per child for education, £850 for English language provision for adults requiring this support and £2,600 for healthcare. This funding is available to local authorities who resettle families under the 3 year ACRS/ARAP with effect from 1 September 2021.

For other resettlement schemes the first 12 months of a refugee’s resettlement costs are funded by central government using the overseas aid budget.