Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that people are not evicted from asylum accommodation into homelessness when the lockdown restrictions are eased; and what discussions she has had with representatives of (a) local authorities and (b) Public Health England on that matter.

The Government has put in a range of measures to support asylum seekers who are affected by the coronavirus outbreak and continue to monitor the situation closely. Our current policy temporarily allows those granted refugee or other immigration status, and those who have been refused asylum and exhausted their appeal rights, to remain in their asylum accommodation. This policy will be reviewed before the end of June.

When normal arrangements resume, we will ensure our procedures are consistent with PHE guidance and that the impact on local authorities is carefully considered, as some of those granted refugee or other immigration status may require assistance to find alternative accommodation.

Failed asylum seekers who have exhausted their appeal right will continue to be provided with asylum accommodation provided they take reasonable steps to leave the UK or where there is a practical or legal obstacle that prevents their departure.