Migration News: Finding a place to Live
Finding a place to live in the UK is hard for many new arrivals, and many of us know this only too well. To be able to find a place without proof of employment or guarantor often means that we have to be able to afford deposits and an upfront payment of 6 months’ rent - and it can be more than 6 months if you are in England. But even with enough savings, there is no guarantee that you will find a flat in less than a month, due to rising rents and constrained supplies.
But what if we were only allowed 28 days to find our home, and with few savings and no references? When someone is granted refugee status in the UK, they have to leave their temporary accommodation after 28 days. While they can access local council housing and financial support, the tight rental market and the shortage in social housing all mean that help often does not arrive quickly enough for some.
And the UK Government’s recent announcement to close bridging hotels, which currently house over 8,000 Afghans eligible for resettlement (with half of them being children), also means that many Afghan families will be at risk of homelessness by the end of this August. For though they were told that they would receive notice letters confirming the hotel closures and housing offers, many indeed received notice letters - but few received suitable housing offers.
In this long journey of migration, we are all fellow travellers. While needs may vary, everyone needs the welcome and support of the local communities. Welcome Homes, a project of Welcome Churches, works to connect compassionate homeowners and supporters with refugees in need. In partnership with the No Accommodation Network (NACCOM) we are connecting hosting projects around the UK with those who are looking for a place they can call home.
For the Afghan families, if you can rent property at Local Housing Allowance rate to Afghan families, please get in touch with our Welcome Homes team. Or share about #AfghanWelcomeHomes on social media with friends, families, community groups, churches, networks or with leaders. Help us find suitable homes for families in need, or donate to support our work with people from Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and many other countries and places.
