Receiving a positive asylum decision should be a cause for celebration, particularly because many of our clients can wait years to receive their refugee status.
However, as the Home Office tries to clear its backlog, many newly recognised refugees have been given notice to quit their asylum seeker accommodation much earlier than the established 28 days.
Finding somewhere to live in that original time frame was hard enough. Anyone would struggle to get together the required documentation, such as references, not to mention a deposit, in that kind of window.
In the last quarter of 2023 Action Foundation has seen a dramatic six-fold rise in the number of people coming to us with nowhere to live.
One of them was Mohsen.
Mohsen was so relieved to be granted refugee status in June, six long years after fleeing his home country of Iran. Yet his joy was short-lived after he was informed he must quit his asylum accommodation within a month. He faced sleeping on the streets until Action Foundation offered him an affordable, warm, safe room to rent.
“I was so happy when I found out I can stay in the UK but when I was told I had to move out, I felt like I am neglected.”
Thankfully a spare room became free in one of our Action Letting properties and Mohsen now has somewhere to call home.
“It was the best news I could hope for. My room is comfortable, clean and I have a very good Action Foundation support worker. She’s helped me find a GP, make a dentist appointment and sign up for Universal Credit. She’s also helping me find somewhere to live long-term that is not too expensive. I know she is there if I need anything.”
If you’d like to help us to help more people like Mohsen, please donate to our Crowdfunder Raise the Roof for Refugees which is open for donations until noon on New Year’s Eve. Any gift you make will be doubled by the Aviva Community Fund.
