Gloucestershire County Council have recently begun operating a scheme called Homes for Refugees, which aims to provide short-term supported accommodation for refugees who have received a positive decision on their asylum claim, and have been granted leave to remain in the UK.
They have asked that we share the following information:
The Home Office have been speeding up the process of making decisions on these asylum claims, prioritising those who have been in this country for over 18 months, and are living in Home Office asylum accommodation.
Those who have received positive decisions are given refugee status and asked to leave their accommodation, often with short notice.
The County Council have introduced the Homes for Refugees scheme to give this group of new refugees a little more time to look for their own accommodation, secure benefits, find employment and work out their next steps.
The structure of the scheme parallels the Homes for Ukraine scheme; with UK residents providing spare rooms, properties, or annexes as accommodation. Hosts are offered a monthly ‘thank you’ payment of £600 to cover extra household expenses, and guests are given wrap-around support to assist them in moving towards independence.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions; the HFR team is here to support all hosts and guests on the scheme.
Gloucestershire Homes for Refugees Team