Responding to the written ministerial
statement from Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer MP on Afghan
resettlement, Cllr Shaun Davies, Chair of the Local
Government Association, which represents councils, said:
“Afghan families should not still be living in hotels and
councils share the Government’s determination to get them into
permanent homes. Councils with hotels continue to work hard
locally with partners and with councils across the UK to support
Afghan households to quickly find accommodation using the
additional government funding in a range of different ways to try
and source new homes for them.
“It is good that the Government has provided certainty both for
people with medical conditions and for families that councils
have matched with properties that will only become available
after the closure of their hotel. We are keen to work with
government on how the short-term accommodation options for them
and the eviction process for the other households will work for
both councils and for families.
“Increased demand and acute shortage of housing available across
the country, combined with other pressures from across asylum and
resettlement schemes, will make it extremely challenging for the
large number of families remaining in hotels to find affordable,
long-term accommodation in the areas they want to live in before
their hotels close.
“Councils remain hugely concerned that large numbers of families
- some of whom are particularly vulnerable – may have to end up
presenting as homeless, particularly larger and
multi-generational families. This will mean them having to move
into high-cost temporary accommodation rather than permanent
homes. Councils will do all they can to minimise multiple moves
and disruption for families in the remaining time before the
hotel closures start, and to secure places in schools for any
children moving to new areas when these start again in the
Autumn”
