Housing sits at the heart of integration. It shapes health, wellbeing and, crucially, a sense of belonging. This is especially true for refugees, whose sense of place maybe fractured, dislocated and informed by trauma. However, currently in the UK, migration, and therefore migrants themselves, are framed increasingly as a threat to be managed, prevented and disrupted. The populist discourse conjures narratives of ‘us and them’, where the ‘other’, if tolerated, is expected to adapt and ‘fit-in’ and be grateful for what they are given in terms of accommodation, whilst simultaneously trying to navigate successive barriers around employment, opportunities, community and belonging. As is well documented, refugees face significant and multiple inequalities, and this is especially evident in the context of housing and accommodation. Whilst access to housing can be empowering for refugees, offering safety, dignity and stability, it can also reinforce inequalities. Tragic cases like that of Awaab Ishak and the tragedy of Grenfell exposed how far housing conditions reflect wider racial injustice and systemic inequalities. Research consistently shows racial and ethnic disparities in housing outcomes, mirroring patterns we see in health and criminal justice. Long-standing problems in the labour market and welfare system and immigration rules deepen these inequalities for racialised minorities. Unequal housing costs and policies such as ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ add further barriers.

Read the full article from HQM here.