A growing number of refugees are ending up homeless on the streets of the London after leaving Home Office accommodation, new research has warned.

According to London Councils’ study, 846 homelessness presentations were made in October from refugees and asylum-seekers evicted from Home Office accommodation such as hotels – a 39% increase on September’s figure.

London’s boroughs anticipate these numbers will rise even further over the coming months as the government continues ramping up the number of asylum decisions and works to close several hotels by the new year.

London Councils has warned that the capital’s boroughs are struggling with a severe shortage of accommodation, with many reporting having nothing to offer refugees who are sleeping rough – such as places in hostels or other forms of emergency accommodation. The cross-party says the situation is being exacerbated by the Home Office providing no funding to local authorities to support asylum-seekers in hotels since April this year.

With winter setting in, councils fear a spike in rough sleeping just as conditions on the streets become even more dangerous.

London’s severe weather emergency protocol (SWEP) was activated six times last winter, with around 2,000 placements made at short notice to help rough sleepers get off the streets. For the first time, accommodation shortages were so extreme that boroughs’ resilience teams were required to assist homelessness staff and volunteers in setting up rest centres across the capital, London Councils says.

SWEP was already triggered last week and boroughs fear how services will cope should there be a repeat of last winter’s weather conditions.

London Councils is now calling on the government to:

• Ensure a minimum 28-day notice period between an asylum-seeker receiving both their asylum decision and Biometric Residence Permit and being required to leave Home Office accommodation. Currently, many are only receiving a few days’ notice after receiving a Notice to Vacate letter
• Extend the move-on period to 56-days to align with the Homelessness Reduction Act and to give local authorities a meaningful period to mitigate homelessness risks
• Address SWEP pressures and concerns. Councils do not receive any specific funding from the government for SWEP activity. Boroughs’ homelessness and rough sleeping budgets already face intense pressures and government funding for SWEP would help sustain provision. Boroughs additionally call for a halt to cessations of asylum support and evictions during the whole period of any SWEP activations
• Fund a local wraparound support model that can be rolled out in all boroughs. This would include quick and early support, including facilitating access to employment and/or to Universal Credit, language support, and assessments of physical and mental health needs
• Enhanced Rough Sleeping Prevention grant funding to support those who are at risk of rough sleeping but who are not eligible for assistance under the Homelessness Reduction Act or Housing Act.

Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Communities, said: “No one wants to see refugees becoming homeless after leaving Home Office accommodation, but this is happening at an alarming rate across the capital.

“Boroughs are deeply concerned by the situation, which will only get more dangerous as winter sets in. Those granted asylum need adequate support for settling in the UK, yet too often are forced into sleeping rough on the streets.

“At a time when London already faces enormous and unsustainable homelessness pressures, the government urgently needs to prevent this happening. A longer move-on period for those leaving Home Office accommodation is crucial, as well as funding for the councils whose local services provide vital support and sanctuary for those in need.

“London boroughs are committed to preventing homelessness. The government must work more closely with councils in addressing this growing challenge.”

Kathy Mohan, Chief Executive of Housing Justice, said: “The situation is desperate. The churches, mosques, and temples in our network are seeing rising numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers approaching them for help, asylum decision letter in hand, with nowhere to sleep, and no idea how to get the support they need. We help where we can but many are resorting to rough sleeping.

“In the coming weeks we will be setting up a new supported lodgings scheme for refugees leaving Home Office accommodation with a positive decision, funded as a pilot by 14 London boroughs. It’s not enough, but it’s something. If we can make it work, we might be able to scale it up further.”