Overview

• The change halves the time newly recognised refugees have to secure housing, rolling back a 56‑day policy trialled since December 2024.
• Charities including the British Red Cross warn the shorter deadline will push more people into destitution and rough sleeping and increase pressure on councils.
• Frontline organisations note Universal Credit payments typically take about 35 days to begin and councils plan homelessness prevention over 56 days, leaving many without income or housing support in time.
• Evidence cited by NGOs says the 56‑day pilot led to a noticeable drop in street homelessness among newly granted refugees.
• The government says it is speeding up decisions and reduced hotel use by 6,000 in the first half of 2025, though more than 32,000 people remained in hotels in June and 110,000 asylum decisions were made in the year to June with about half granted leave.