Asylum News
Bibby Stockholm barge will no longer be used to house asylum seekers (23rd July 2024)
This article in BBC News reports that the Bibby Stockholm barge will no longer be used to house people seeking asylum once the contract expires in January 2025.
Rwanda scheme scrapped (6th July 2024)
This article in BBC News reports that the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has scrapped the plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Sir Keir Starmer elected as Prime Minister (5th July 2024)
This article in BBC News reports that the UK general election has seen Sir Keir Starmer become the first Labour Prime Minister in 14 years, after a landslide win for the party.
Rwanda bill to become law (22nd April 2024)
This article in BBC News reports that the Rwanda bill will become law late on Monday night.
Rwanda bill update (16th April 2024)
Parliamentary stand-off continues with MPs rejecting all changes to the Rwanda bill recommended in the House of Lords.
The bill will return to the House of Lords on Tuesday to be re-assessed. This back-and-forth process between the two Houses is known as ‘parliamentary ping-pong’. On Tuesday, peers may make additional changes to the bill which could further extend this process.
It is expected that the Rwanda bill will pass this week with a government majority. The bill will not become law until both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have agreed the final phrasing.
Rwanda bill update (20th March 2024)
The House of Lords inflicted seven defeats on the Prime Minister’s Rwanda deportation bill on Wednesday.
The legislation is an attempt to strengthen the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to the East African country. Having seen previous planned flights cancelled due to a Supreme Court ruling that the plan could breach human rights law, the bill declares Rwanda to be a ‘safe third country’.
The plan is designed to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel.
The bill will return to the House of Commons after Easter, entering what is known as the ‘ping pong’ phase – in which the bill is passed between the House of Lords and the House of Commons until the final wording is agreed.
You can read more about the Rwanda scheme here.
Illegal Migration Act: Rwanda bill (4th March 2024)
This article in BBC news reports that the government has had five defeats in the House of Lords over the bill to revive its proposed Rwanda deportation scheme. The bill will continue its passage through the Lords on Wednesday 13th March.
Croydon Council High Court judgement (26th February 2024)
In the case of R (TMX) v London Borough of Croydon & Anor (2024), the High Court found that Croydon Council acted unlawfully by failing to provide accommodation to a person seeking asylum with care and support needs. The council was also found to have breached the claimant’s human rights by failing to provide suitable accommodation for seven months whilst he lived with his family in an asylum hostel.
The case settles the question of whether the Home Office or councils will be responsible for providing accommodation to a person seeking asylum who is assessed under the Care Act 2014 as having ‘accommodation-related’ care and support needs. Councils, specifically adult social care, will need to be clear about the implications of this case when assessing need and providing care and support to people who are seeking asylum. This includes arranging and funding accommodation where this is needed, and maintaining oversight of care and support that is delivered to people with no recourse to public funds. Further information on this can be found here.
Housing update (7th February 2024)
This article in The Guardian reports that the Home Office has withdrawn draft legislation that would have removed housing protections for asylum seekers.
The proposed policy intended to relax regulations for landlords accommodating asylum seekers in houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs), meaning landlords would no longer have to register with their local authority. The suggested change would allow landlords to accommodate asylum seekers for two years without an HMO licence, which is required for any landlord renting a property to more than one household. Under the proposed legislation, those not seeking asylum would still have been protected by this safeguarding measure.
The government suggested that the proposed legislation would increase the number of properties available to asylum seekers, however, the Home Office withdrew the legislation before a High Court hearing. Following the decision, anyone living in an HMO will continue to be entitled to the same protection.
