Disabled people and carers in the asylum system are being denied safety, dignity and compassion because they can’t get the health care they need.
The Poverty Alliance have published new #RightsInAction research, uncovering examples of people being placed in unsafe housing, facing delays and confusion in getting health and social care, and getting little or no formal support – despite many having serious health and care needs.
One woman was sent to Scotland after being forced to leave her family and seek protection alone in the UK. In her home country she had been treated for ovarian cancer, but when she arrived in Scotland, she faced real difficulties getting in touch with her GP.
After being recognised as a refugee by the Home Office many years later, she had to move to different accommodation and to a different GP. It was only then that she was referred to hospital for investigation of pain she was feeling. She was diagnosed with a brain tumour and Multiple Sclerosis.
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “Everyone in Scotland deserves dignity, safety and compassion. People on low incomes often feel cut off from the health and social care support they need – and this research shows the problem can be even greater for people in the asylum system.
“It is wrong that disabled people and carers can be left without the most basic support they need to live their lives.”
The refugee model will shift from permanent to temporary for those who arrive through illegal routes
Refugee status will become temporary and subject to review every 30 months for all adults claiming asylum from today, the Home Secretary has announced.
Protection will be renewed for all those refugees who still face danger in their home country. Those whose country has now become safe, and therefore no longer require protection, will be expected to return home.
The change follows Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s visit to Denmark last week, which introduced a similar approach in recent years. The Danes have reduced asylum claims by more than 90% in a decade.
Last November, as part of the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration since the Second World War, the government announced that refugee protection would become temporary. At the same time, refugees who want to stay in Britain and have skills will be able to apply for new work and study visas, helping them integrate with and contribute to society.
Britain will also open new, safe and legal routes, with community sponsorship becoming the new norm. The entire approach is designed to shift the asylum system in Britain away from dangerous, illegal crossings, and high levels of applications from those without legitimate asylum claims.
Under these changes, adults and accompanied children claiming asylum from today will receive a 30-month period of protection, if granted. At a 30-month review, refugees with a continuing need of sanctuary will have their protection renewed, while those whose countries are now deemed safe will be expected to return home.
Under the previous system, refugees were granted 5 years of protection and allowed to bring their families – followed by near-automatic, fee-free permanent settlement with continued access to benefits and housing. This was amongst the most generous offers to refugees in any country in Western Europe.
The Home Secretary has argued this has become a pull-factor that has seen asylum claims in Britain rise steeply, including tens of thousands of illegitimate claims each year, as they fall across the rest of the continent.
Refugees under the reformed system will need to renew their permission to stay or apply for a legal visa route. Family reunion remains paused while new rules are designed that bring financial and integration requirements in line with those expected of British citizens.
The reset in Britain’s asylum offer, inspired by Denmark’s success, will encourage those wishing to build a life in the UK to do so via legal routes and reduce the pull factors driving illegal migration. The first step towards a new, ‘core protection’ system will be introduced through a change to the Immigration Rules later this week.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “This country will always provide sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution. But we must also ensure our asylum system is not creating pull factors that draw people on dangerous journeys across the world, fuelling and funding the human traffickers.
“Genuine refugees will find safety in Britain, but we must also reduce the incentives that draw people here at such scale, including those without a legitimate need for protection. So, once a refugee’s home is safe and they are able to return, they will be expected to do so.
“This is a firm but fair approach, restoring order and control of Britain’s borders, while protecting those fleeing war and repression.”
While Denmark was cutting asylum claims to a 40-year low, the UK saw a 13% increase in the year to September 2025. Across the EU, applications fell by 22% over the same period.
Since 2015, Denmark has made refugee status temporary (subject to review every 2 years), introduced restrictions on family reunion and increased the wait for permanent settlement to 8 years, subject to strict integration and employment requirements.
Under reforms announced last autumn, refugees in the UK will have to wait 20 years for settlement, unless they switch to a legal visa route, as part of the ‘core protection’ model.
New routes will be created as an alternative to ’core protection’ for those who can contribute through work or study, encouraging use of the legal migration system and contributing to better social cohesion. Further details of these will be set out in future Immigration Rules changes.
Unaccompanied children will continue to receive 5 years’ leave, while the government considers the appropriate long-term policy for this group. Further details will be set out in due course.
Robust age assessment measures are already in place to root out false claims by migrants claiming to be under 18. AI technology currently being tested will strengthen this further.
Home Secretary sets out controversial reforms to the UK’s asylum and returns system
HOME SECRETARY SHABANA MAHMOOD’s STATEMENT TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS YESTERDAY:
I will make a statement about how we restore order and control to our borders. I do so as this Government publishes the most significant reform to our migration system in modern times.
This country will always offer sanctuary to those fleeing danger, but we must also acknowledge that the world has changed and our asylum system has not changed with it.
Our world is a more volatile, and more mobile, place. Huge numbers are on the move. While some are refugees, others are economic migrants seeking to use, and abuse, our asylum system. Even genuine refugees are passing through other safe countries searching for the most attractive place to seek refuge.
The burden that has fallen on this country has been heavy. 400,000 have sought asylum here in the last four years. Over 100,000 people now live in asylum accommodation, and over half of refugees remain on benefits eight years after they have arrived.
To the British public, who foot the bill, the system feels out of control and unfair. It feels that way, because it is. The pace and scale of change has destabilised communities. It is making our country a more divided place.
There will never be a justification for the violence and racism of a minority, but if we fail to deal with this crisis, we will draw more people down a path that starts with anger, and ends in hatred.
I have no doubt about who we really are in this country. We are open, tolerant and generous. But the public rightly expect that we can determine who enters this country, and who must leave.
To maintain the generosity that allows us to provide sanctuary, we must restore order and control.
[Political content redacted]
My predecessor as Home Secretary picked up this [political content redacted] inheritance, and rebuilt the foundations of a collapsed asylum system.
Decision making has been restored, with a backlog now 18% lower than when we entered office. Removals have increased – reaching nearly 50,000 under this Government.
Immigration enforcement has hit record levels, with over 8,000 arrests in the last year.
The Border Security Bill is progressing through parliament, and my predecessor struck a historic agreement with the French, which means small boat arrivals can now be sent back to France.
These are vital steps, but we must go further. Today, we have published “Restoring Order and Control”, a new statement on our asylum policy. Its goals are two-fold: firstly, to reduce illegal arrivals into this country, and secondly, to increase removals of those with no right to be here.
It starts by accepting an uncomfortable truth: while asylum claims fall across Europe, they are rising here, and that is because of the comparative generosity of our asylum offer when compared to so many of our European neighbours.
This generosity is a factor that draws people to these shores, on a path that runs through other safe countries. Nearly 40 percent come on small boats and over perilous channel crossings, but a roughly equal number come here legally, via a visitor, work or study visa, and then go on to claim asylum.
They do so because refugee status is the most generous route into this country. An initial grant lasts five years, which is then converted, almost automatically, into permanent settled status. In other European countries, things are done differently.
In Denmark, refugee status is temporary, and they provide safety and sanctuary until it is possible for a refugee to return home. In recent years, asylum claims have hit a 40-year low, and now, across Europe, countries are tightening their systems in similar ways.
We must act too. We will do so by making refugee status temporary, not permanent. A grant of refugee status will last two and a half years, not five. It will be renewed only if it is impossible for a refugee to return home. Permanent settlement will now come at 20 years, not five.
I know this country welcomes people who contribute. For those who want to stay, and are willing and able to, we will create a new ‘work and study’ visa route, solely for refugees, with a quicker path to permanent settlement.
To encourage refugees into work, we will also consult on removing benefits for those who are able to work but choose not to.
Outside of the most exceptional circumstances, family reunion will not be possible, with a refugee only able to bring family over if they have joined a work and study route, and if qualifying tests are met.
While over 50,000 were granted refugee status in the last year, more than 100,000 claimants and failed asylum seekers remain in taxpayer funded accommodation, and we know that criminal gangs use the prospect of free bed and board to promote their small boat crossings.
We have already announced that we will empty asylum hotels by the end of the Parliament, and we are exploring a number of large military sites as an alternative.
We will now also remove the 2005 legislation that created a “duty” to support asylum seekers, reverting to a legal “power” to do so instead. While we will continue to support those who play by the rules, those who do not – be that through criminality or anti-social behaviour – can have their support removed. We will also remove our duty to support those who have a right to work.
It is right that those who do receive support, pay for it if they can, so those with income or assets will have to contribute to the cost of their stay. This will end the absurdity that we currently experience. Where an asylum seeker receiving £800 each month from his family, and who had recently acquired an Audi, was receiving free housing at the taxpayers’ expense, and the courts judged we could do nothing about it.
These measures are designed to tackle the pull factors that draw people to this country, but reducing the number of arrivals is just half of the story. We must also enforce our rules and remove those who have no right to be here. This will mean restarting removals to countries where they have been paused.
In recent months, we have begun voluntary removal of failed asylum seekers to Syria once again; however, there are still many failed asylum seekers here from Syria, most of whom fled a regime that has since been toppled. Other countries are planning to enforce removals, and we will follow suit. Where a failed asylum seeker cannot be returned home, we will also continue to explore the possibility of return hubs, with negotiations ongoing.
We must remove those who have failed asylum claims, regardless of who they are. Today, we are not removing family groups – even when we know that their home country is perfectly safe. There are, for instance, around 700 Albanian families living in taxpayer-funded accommodation having failed their asylum claims.
This is true despite an existing returns agreement, and that Albania is a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights. So, we will now begin the removal of families. Where possible, we will encourage a voluntary return, but where an enforced return is necessary, that is what we will do.
Where the barrier to a return is not the individual, nor the UK Government, but the receiving country, we will take action.
I can announce today that we have told Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Namibia that if they do not comply with international rules and norms we will impose visa penalties on them. And I am sending a wider message here: unless other countries heed this lesson, further sanctions will follow.
Much of the delay in our removals, however, comes from the sclerotic nature of our own system. In March of this year, the appeals backlog stood at 51,000 cases. This Government has already increased judicial sitting days, but reform is required, so we will create a new appeals body, staffed by professional independent adjudicators, and we will ensure there is early legal representation available to advise claimants and ensure their issues are properly considered.
Cases with a low chance of success will be fast-tracked, and claimants will have just one opportunity to claim and one to appeal, ending the merry-go-round of claims and appeals that frustrate so many removals.
While some barriers to removal are the result of process, others are substantive issues related to the law itself. There is no doubt that the expanded interpretation of parts of the European Convention on Human Rights has contributed.
This is particularly true of Article 8: the right to a family life. The courts have adopted an ever-expanding interpretation of this right.
As a result, many people have been allowed to come to this country, when they would otherwise have had no right to, and we have been unable to remove others when the case for doing so seems overwhelming.
This includes cases like an arsonist, sentenced to five years in prison whose deportation was blocked on the grounds that his relationship with his sibling may suffer.
More than half of those detained are now delaying or blocking their removal by raising a last-minute rights claim.
Article 8 is a qualified right: that means we are not prevented from removing individuals or refusing an application to move to the UK if it is “in the public interest”. To narrow Article 8 rights, we will therefore make three important changes, in both domestic law and our immigration rules.
Firstly, we will define what, exactly, a family is – narrowing this down to parents and their children.
Secondly, we will define “the public interest” test so the default becomes a removal or refusal, with Article 8 rights only permissible in the most exceptional circumstances.
Thirdly, we will tighten where Article 8 claims can be heard, ensuring only those who are living in the UK can lodge a claim, rather than their family members overseas, and that all claims are heard first by the Home Office and not in a courtroom.
We will also pursue international reform of a second element of the European Convention: the application of Article 3 – the prohibition on torture and inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment.
We will never return anyone to be tortured in their home country, but the definition of “degrading treatment” has expanded into the realm of the ridiculous.
Today, we have criminals we seek to deport, but discover we cannot because the prisons in their home country have cells that are deemed too small, or even mental health provision that is not as good as our own.
As Article 3 is an absolute right, a public interest test cannot be applied. For that reason, we are seeking reform at the Council of Europe, and we do so alongside international partners who have raised similar concerns. But it is not just international law that binds us.
According to data from 2022, over 40% of those detained for removal claimed they were modern-day slaves. This well-intentioned law is being abused by those who seek to frustrate a legitimate removal.
So, I will bring forward legislation that tightens the Modern Slavery system to ensure that it protects those it was designed for, and not those who seek to abuse it.
Taken together Madam Deputy Speaker, these are significant reforms. They are designed to ensure our asylum system is fit for the modern world, and that we retain public consent for the very idea of providing refuge.
We will always be a country that offers protection to those fleeing peril, just as we did, in recent years, when Ukraine was invaded, when Afghanistan was evacuated, and when we repatriated Hong Kongers.
For that reason, as order and control is restored, we will open new, capped, safe and legal routes into this country. These will make sponsorship the primary means by which we resettle refugees, with voluntary and community organisations given greater involvement, to both receive refugees and support them, working within caps set by Government.
We will also create a new route for displaced students to study in the UK, and another for skilled refugees to work here. Of course, we will always remain flexible to new crises, across the world, as they happen.
I know the British people do not want to close the doors. But until we restore order and control, those who seek to divide us will grow stronger.
It is our job – [political content redacted] – to unite where there is division, so we must now build an asylum system for the world as it is. One that restores order and control. One that opens safe and legal routes to those fleeing danger across the world, and one that sustains our commitment to providing refuge for this generation and those to come.
I know the country we are. We are open, tolerant and generous. We are the greater Britain that those on this side of the House believe in. Not the littler England that some would wish we would become. These reforms are designed to bring unity, where others seek to divide.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend this statement to the House.
Campaigning organisation Asylum Matters said: ‘Today’s asylum reforms put the basic principle of refugee protection under threat. They won’t stop irregular migration.
‘But they would make us a country that has given in to extremists and abandoned vital protection principles set up after the horrors of the Second World War.’
The City of Edinburgh Council unequivocally condemns the violent protests that have been taking place against refugees and asylum seekers across the country.
This statement has been agreed by all of the elected members from the Labour, SNP, Liberal Democrat and Green groups setting out our shared concerns and positions:
‘Refugees and asylum seekers are people, with hopes, dreams and ambitions. Some have families and children, and are fleeing hardship, persecution, war and unimaginable suffering. That people fleeing such traumatic circumstances should be met by anger, hate and violence is heartbreaking and does not reflect the values that we in Edinburgh have lived by.
‘Harsh rhetoric on migration have contributed to this situation and the blame for this lies with large sections of the media as well as a great many politicians who ought to be courageously standing up for refugees and asylum seekers, not telling lies about refugees and immigrants. We condemn the racism, whether it be systemic or not, which is often at the root of these messages.
‘However, cynical attempts to paint working class communities as racist must also be challenged. Many communities are struggling with the rising cost of living and have seen their public services hollowed out by over a decade of austerity measures.
‘While some have reasons to be angry and upset, we must push back against attempts to direct that anger at some of the most vulnerable in our society. Our responsibility as leaders in this city includes helping build relationships between our diverse communities and building cohesion.
‘Peaceful protest is fundamental to our freedoms and complex policy issues should be discussed and debated thoroughly, but it is incumbent on everyone to do so in a manner which is civil, which does not dehumanise or scapegoat vulnerable communities, and which reflects reality, not myths.
‘We take a strong partnership approach to public safety here and the Council commends all of the organisations involved in making the welcome real for those who have newly arrived in our communities.
‘Within the Council we have agreed a cross-party statement between Labour, the SNP, the Lib Dems and the Greens – it reflects our combined desire to welcome refugees and asylum seekers, to recognise the important benefits that newcomers bring to our communities and to ensure that they have a good opportunity to flourish with us here in Scotland.
‘One of the key things we can do is to combat misinformation to ensure that the people of Edinburgh have access to accurate information on this topic. We also want to recognise and celebrate the stories of refugees who have found a new home in Edinburgh, their incredible contributions to our communities and society, and the benefit that they bring to us all.
‘While the Home Office is ultimately responsible for managing migration, the Council sees great value in firmly and unambiguously stating that Edinburgh is a welcoming and diverse city and is stronger for that diversity.
‘We reiterate our united position that all people who want to live, work and visit our city are welcome to do so.’
Investment to help people settle in Scotland’s communities
A service to help refugees and people seeking asylum integrate into their local areas is being supported with £8 million in funding over the next two and a half years.
Delivered by the Scottish Refugee Council, the Scotland-wide integration support service will provide advice, information and resources to help people fleeing war and persecution settle into their new home.
This will build on the success of the previous grant-funded Refugee Support Service for 2024/25 which supported more than 10,000 people from 113 countries to rebuild their lives here.
The new multi-year funded contract will run until March 2028 with an option to extend for a further two years, enabling more people to be supported.
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Our Programme for Government commits to a multi-year funded service so refugees and people seeking asylum can access the support they need, when they need it.
“Refugees and people seeking asylum are welcome in Scotland and this service will support them to start rebuilding their lives here.
“The Scottish Refugee Council has already provided incredible support to refugees and people seeking asylum to help them work, study and live in Scotland. I’m very pleased that these efforts can continue through the service we’re funding.”
Scottish Refugee Council chief executive Sabir Zazai said: “We’re delighted that our approach to building a better future with refugees in Scotland has been recognised with this investment, which will enable us to continue reaching those who need our help, wherever in Scotland they are based.
“Last year, we worked with people seeking safety in 30 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities and connected hundreds of communities across the country, helping them work together to support and welcome New Scots.
“We’re looking forward to building on this work and reaching even more people seeking refugee protection in Scotland, providing them with essential information, multilingual advice and practical support.”
Edinburgh College has been awarded College of Sanctuary status in recognition of the support it provides to refugees and asylum seekers in accessing educational opportunities.
The College of Sanctuary status – awarded by the City of Sanctuary UK network – recognises and aims to enhance the work of colleges in providing support and opportunities for refugees, asylum seekers, and those seeking sanctuary in the UK.
To gain the award, a group of staff from across the College united to audit and enhance the range of support provided to students seeking sanctuary currently enrolled at the College.
This involved expanding training for staff on sanctuary-seeking issues, improving signposting to support services, broadening engagement with local refugee and asylum seeker support organisations, and enhancing opportunities for students of all backgrounds to become involved in college life.
In addition, the College partnered with ECSA (Edinburgh College Students’ Association) to provide a remunerated work placement opportunity for a student seeking sanctuary to lead on incorporating the student voice into the heart of the project.
Through this work, Student Engagement Assistant, Zahra Maleki, interviewed a number of students to learn more about their journey to the UK, College experience, the support that they receive, and plans for the future, to help the College gain a deeper understanding of the lives of these students and the challenges they face.
The award, and the activities undertaken as part of it, build upon the significant progress Edinburgh College has made in recent years and establishes a benchmark for future efforts to ensure students who are seeking sanctuary feel welcome and supported to thrive during their time at College.
Audrey Cumberford, Edinburgh College Principal, said: “I’m delighted that the College has been formally recognised as a College of Sanctuary. This award is recognition not just of the work undertaken this year, but recognition of the enormous work done by our staff in this area over a number of years, and, in some cases, decades.
“As Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh is a diverse and welcoming place. Our college embodies that. We have people from over 135 countries across the world choosing to come to study here. In everything we do, we aim to ensure Edinburgh College is a place where people are given an opportunity to build a better future for themselves, irrespective of where they have come from in the past.”
Gün Orgun, City of Sanctuary Coordinator for Scotland and Northern Ireland, who headed the appraisal panel for Edinburgh College, said: “It was great to visit Edinburgh College and speak to staff and students involved in their College of Sanctuary project.
“Our visit underscored all the great provision outlined in Edinburgh College’s application and the depth of staff commitment across the College, including senior management, was great to see. The panel noted a number of impressive areas of practice and comments from students demonstrated a strong sense of belonging within the College.
“Receiving this award is not an easy task, requiring a significant effort and going above and beyond statutory requirements – and Edinburgh College provided several great practice examples of what being a College of Sanctuary is all about.
“We look forward to seeing Edinburgh College’s provision in this area develop in the years ahead.”
Funding to support local councils and the third sector
A funding package to support Ukrainian communities and culture in Scotland to flourish has been announced by Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart.
Funding of over £600,000 will support third sector organisations working to support displaced Ukrainians, including community and cultural activities, while a further £3.5m funding for local authorities and COSLA will support displaced Ukrainians, as well as refugees and people seeking asylum, to settle into communities.
The funding was announced at an event hosted by COSLA, marking a visit to Scotland by a civic delegation of mayors from Ukraine.
Speaking ahead of the event, Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Scotland stands in unwavering solidarity with Ukraine, as it has since Russia’s illegal invasion in 2022.
“More than 28,000 displaced Ukrainians with a Scottish-sponsored visa have arrived in the UK, and we are helping people rebuild their lives here.
“Many of those who left Ukraine shortly after the war outbreak have now been in Scotland for several years, forming thriving Ukrainian communities right across the country. We want those communities to flourish, and this funding will support cultural and social activities and events to strengthen. It will also support services to help people recover from the trauma of fleeing war.
“I’m very pleased to be announcing this funding at the same time as a visit from the Ukrainian rebirth delegation, and I look forward to exploring further opportunities for connection and partnership between Scotland and Ukraine.”
COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson Councillor Maureen Chalmers said: “COSLA is so very pleased to welcome colleagues from Local Government in Ukraine to Verity House today.
“We are also delighted to be working with Scottish Government to host this event, coming together to show our commitment across government in Scotland.
“COSLA has expressed full support and solidarity to the Ukrainian people and our peers in local and regional government, standing ready to support those affected and play a very active part in Ukrainian refugee resettlement.
“COSLA welcomes Scottish Government’s announcement of the continuation of £3.4m resettlement funding for Local Authorities for 2025-26. This funding will play an important role in enabling councils’ ongoing work supporting the integration of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s illegal war, as well as other people seeking protection in this country.
“We are also very grateful for confirmation of continued funding for COSLA to support the work that we do with our member councils and with Scottish Government in relation to the integration of people displaced from Ukraine, as well as others who are seeking sanctuary here and migrants who are at risk of destitution.”
Funding to support local authority resettlement support
£ 3,400,000
Funding for COSLA
£ 175,400
This funding is part of a broader package of funding this financial year, which will support Ukrainians and displaced people from all backgrounds settle into life in Scotland.
Changes could add £30 million to Scotland’s economy annually
Allowing asylum seekers the right to work could help them settle into communities better while boosting Scotland’s economy and workforce.
Research by the Scottish Government’s independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population sets out how enabling asylum seekers to gain employment could improve health and wellbeing and reduce the risk of exploitation.
Changes could also benefit the Scottish economy, help fill gaps in the workforce and see increased council tax paid directly to local authorities which host asylum seekers.
The report will underpin the development of proposals for a Scottish Asylum Right to Work pilot, to be submitted for consideration to the Home Office in 2024.
Migration Minister Emma Roddick said: “Scotland provides a welcoming home to many people seeking asylum, with policies underpinned by dignity, respect and compassion.
“This independent report shows how enabling asylum seekers to find work could reduce anxiety and improve the wellbeing of vulnerable people, while supporting Scotland’s economy by helping fill skills shortages and addressing population challenges.
“As the UK Government continues to pursue repugnant policies on asylum and immigration, we are developing mitigations as far as possible within our devolved powers and budget, including through our New Scots refugee integration strategy.
“The Scottish Government will now use this report to design a proposal to work within the current devolution settlement, but only independence would give us power to implement a full Scottish asylum system rooted in respect for human rights.”
Chair of the Scottish Government’s independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population Rebecca Kay said: “Our report shows strong international evidence that strict restrictions on the right to work have negative consequences for asylum seekers’ material and emotional well-being, and for long-term integration outcomes.
“We also find substantial evidence of the considerable barriers which people seeking asylum are likely to face on entering the labour force. These will require careful consideration by Scottish Government, and deliberate remedy, when designing a pilot proposal.
“Wider measures to provide adequate reception, settlement and integration services will be required in order to realise the full benefits of a right to work policy for asylum seekers.”
Steps to provide displaced people with accommodation stability
Ukrainian people seeking refuge from the war will be supported to access longer term housing, under plans to further reduce the number of displaced people in Scotland living in temporary welcome accommodation.
From Thursday 7 December, Ukrainians arriving in Scotland for the first time through the Super Sponsor scheme and entering welcome accommodation will be supported by local authorities to identify two longer term accommodation options. Temporary welcome accommodation will be available for a maximum of six months, but may be extended in certain circumstances.
Ukrainians who are already in welcome accommodation will also be supported to find two longer term accommodation options. Where a displaced person chooses to make their own accommodation arrangements after six months and has declined offers, a maximum of 60 additional days in welcome accommodation will be permitted to allow them to safely move on.
From January, displaced people who have previously stayed in welcome accommodation and have left for an extended period will not be able to return in most cases, but will be offered help and advice to identify alternative housing options.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Over 26,000 people from Ukraine have arrived in the UK with a Scottish sponsor, more than 20,500 of them through our Super Sponsor scheme.
“Our welcome accommodation ensures that we can offer everyone who needs it an initial safe place to stay. However, we do not want people to spend longer than necessary without a settled place to call home.
“Thanks to our close working with local authorities and the third sector, the number of Ukrainians living in welcome accommodation has more than halved over the past year. These next steps will help us support even more people to find safe, settled accommodation for the longer term. This will provide much-needed stability, helping them set down roots and make the most of local opportunities.
“We will work with local authorities and COSLA to help meet the needs of individuals and families – helping those who need additional support and considering affordability, employment and education. Many Ukrainians choose to make their own accommodation arrangements and the resettlement and housing teams in our local authorities can also support this.”
COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, Councillor Maureen Chalmers said: “Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Scottish Local Government has worked in strong partnership with Scottish Government, third sector colleagues and the Ukrainian community to support displaced people seek refuge and safety in Scotland.
“Throughout this period, we have seen an exceptional level of public support. This has included thousands of people offering rooms in their homes to support hosting arrangements; a flourishing network of community and third sector activity to welcome Ukrainian households into local neighbourhoods; and support from colleagues across public services to ensure that guests have access to vital services which support resettlement and integration.
“This announcement is the next step in ensuring Ukrainian households who have arrived in Scotland have access to a home which meets their needs. Prolonged stays in welcome accommodation are unable to support the long-term integration needs of displaced people.
“Local Government is committed to supporting displaced households settle into longer term accommodation and integrate into local communities to ensure they benefit from the enhanced wellbeing that this brings.”
Minister says councils must have UK Government support
Migration and Refugees Minister Emma Roddick has urged the UK Government to provide financial support for local authorities as it presses ahead with plans to close asylum hotels.
In a letter to Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, Ms Roddick welcomed measures to end the inappropriate use of hotels to accommodate people seeking asylum along with UK Government measures to tackle the backlog in asylum decisions.
However, she said the move was placing further pressure on local services and called for increased funding to enable councils to meet the needs of refugees when they receive a positive asylum decision.
Ms Roddick said: “The Scottish Government has long been clear in our view that hotels are not appropriate accommodation for people seeking asylum.
“While I welcome your recognition that the asylum decision backlog must be tackled, I want to make clear that it is completely unacceptable and reckless for the UK Government to shift a significant burden onto local authorities without providing financial support.
“The UK Government must provide funding to local authorities and work constructively with them to ensure that people receiving a positive asylum decision are supported to move-on from asylum accommodation, without creating unmanageable pressure on housing and homelessness services over a short space of time.
“It is UK Government mismanagement of asylum decision making which has created the backlog and the consequences of that cannot be passed to local authorities without any support to manage them.
“I request urgent provision of funding to local authorities to support move-on associated with the backlog clearance.”
