Inventing our future Collective action for a sustainable economy

7.20 The report reveals that there are issues relating to inadequate and inappropriate accommodation
for migrant workers in the Region, whilst many issues faced by migrant workers apply to all
citizens there are some specific issues around orientation, culture and language that must be taken
into account when considering accommodation for migrant workers.
7.21 EEDA, as a member of the RHDG, will share findings of the research once complete and
work with partners to develop good practice.
7.22 EERA, together with regional partners, commissioned research into the accommodation needs of
refugees. Refugees have rights to apply as homeless and to seek permanent social housing when
they obtain permission to settle in the UK. Prior to this stage adult asylum seekers can seek
accommodation and support arranged by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) which,
since 2000, has been dispersing new asylum seekers away from London and the South East to
other regions, including the East of England.
7.23 Discussions with NASS are on-going with a new round of NASS contracts for the provision of
asylum seeker accommodation and support, to take effect from April 2006.
7.24 The asylum seeker population in the Region is located in three types of areas:
• the current active cluster areas (Ipswich, Norwich and Peterborough)
Regional Housing Strategy for the East of England: 2005–2010
• areas used by other local authorities to make out of area placements of interim case [i.e.
pre-2000] asylum seekers (e.g. Great Yarmouth) and
• areas where the local authority has supported interim case asylum seekers who have made
direct applications to them (e.g. Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock, Luton, Watford, Bedford and,
to a lesser extent, Clacton/Colchester).
7.25 Homeless refugees will be assisted if they are considered to be in priority need, unintentionally
homeless and if, in the case of those leaving NASS accommodation, the local authority to which
they apply as homeless is the last area to which they were dispersed. However, if applying to
another area, the local connection requirement may also be satisfied by means of employment or
family association, for example. If not, the authority can, if it chooses, refer the application back
to the local authority in the dispersal area.
7.26 Since April 2002, local authorities in the Region have recorded cases where refugees were
accepted as homeless due to loss of NASS accommodation. These show 31 acceptances in
2003/04, half of which were in Bedford and Peterborough. Given the number of asylum seekers
in the Region, this level of homelessness acceptances would appear to be low. This may reflect
difficulties encountered by refugees in accessing homelessness services.
7.27 The study also found minimal evidence of homeless refugees being allocated social housing
properties; only three authorities reported making any such lettings in 2003/4 and just two
nominations to housing associations. Although many authorities do not record all cases these
figures suggest that little access to permanent social housing is being gained by homeless refugee
households.
7.28 The study found that single refugees, predominantly single men, are often not considered to be
in priority need. As a consequence, they are surviving largely ‘under the radar’ relying on informal
friendship networks and only sporadically coming into contact with service providers or
information, advice and guidance agencies.
7.29 The study provides a number of recommendations for the RHS. These include developing and
sharing good practice. Others are aimed at targeting investment to areas accessible to refugees;
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