Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support newly recognised refugees; and what plans they have to reconsider extending the move-on period from 28 to 56 days in line with the prevention duty contained in section 195 of the 1996 Housing Act.

If an asylum seeker is granted refugee status, they gain immediate access to the labour market and receive advice to help them transition to the mainstream benefit system if they still require support.

We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisations. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), providing advice on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. In some circumstances, Migrant Help may also book appointments for newly recognised refugees with the DWP to apply for Universal Credit.

Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable.

The asylum accommodation estate is under huge strain and increasing the ‘move on’ period would exacerbate these pressures. There are no current plans to change the time period (of 28 days) for how long individuals remain on asylum support once they have had a grant of asylum.