The percentage of Afghans presenting to councils as homeless has risen in the past month, figures from councils have suggested on the deadline day for people to leave hotel accommodation.
More than a fifth (22%) of Afghans who had previously been in so-called bridging hotels in England and Wales since being resettled to the UK after the Taliban takeover in August 2021 were in this situation, the Local Government Association (LGA) said.
The organisation, which represents councils, branded it “wrong” that some families were having to leave hotels “only to then end up having to move into temporary accommodation”.
The LGA surveyed councils with bridging hotels in their areas and received responses from 22 out of the 45 by Thursday morning.
The Government gave a deadline of August 31 for all Afghan nationals to have moved out of hotels into more settled accommodation, but local authorities had warned that when eviction notices were handed out months ago some would end up facing homelessness.
The LGA said its latest figures were up 3% from 19% at the beginning of August, adding that its survey would remain open for responses until the end of the day.
LGA chairman Shaun Davies described the “huge pressure” on councils who were already dealing with record numbers of households living in temporary accommodation and “an acute shortage of housing across the country”.
He said: “Councils share the Government’s determination to get Afghan families out of hotels and into permanent homes. Hotels have closed to Afghan households across the country and – as we feared – councils are seeing families presenting to them as homeless as a result.
It is wrong that some families are having to leave Home Office-funded hotels only to then end up having to move into temporary accommodation— Shaun Davies, Local Government Association
“It is wrong that some families are having to leave Home Office-funded hotels only to then end up having to move into temporary accommodation.
“With record numbers of households already living in temporary accommodation and an acute shortage of housing across the country, this is adding huge pressure onto councils on the ground and disruption and distress for families, some of whom are particularly vulnerable.”
With record numbers of households already living in temporary accommodation and an acute shortage of housing across the country, this is adding huge pressure onto councils on the ground and disruption and distress for families— Shaun Davies, Local Government Association
He said more cooperative work was needed with the government “to ensure a smooth transition for Afghan families that doesn’t simply pass costs and responsibility from Government to councils”.
Speaking on Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “very good progress” had been made on the issue.
He refused to be drawn when asked whether the deadline would be met, and instead emphasised costs of hotel accommodation for “illegal migrants”.
He told GB News: “We’ve made very good progress on that and it speaks to a broader challenge we have that at the moment we’ve got the country spending millions of pounds a day to house illegal migrants in hotels … more broadly, this is not about tomorrow or the day after.
“We’ve got to end the situation where we spend millions of pounds a day housing illegal migrants in hotels.”
The UK promised a safe haven for thousands of people who fled their home country as the Taliban swept back into power two years ago.
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which were set up to help Afghans resettle in the UK during the takeover, were both legal routes created by the Home Office.
Home Office figures to the end of June, which are the latest available, showed that 6,575 Afghans – including around half of whom were children – were living in hotels or serviced accommodation.
A Government spokesperson said: “Afghans who have come to the UK legally and safely deserve every opportunity to rebuild their lives here, and hotels do not provide suitable long term accommodation.
“That is why we have worked tirelessly across government and with Local Authorities across the UK to help families find permanent homes, helping people successfully put down roots and providing them with a package of wraparound support.
“This is in the best interest of both families and British taxpayers, putting an end to the use of unsuitable and expensive hotel accommodation.”
