FOI request (FOIR-740727094)

Refugee Homelessness Figures

Requested Thu 11 September 2025
Responded Thu 11 September 2025

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding homelessness among refugees in your local authority area.

Specifically, I would like to receive the following information:

Annual data, for the past six financial years, 2019 to 2025 (to date) on the number of individuals recognised as refugees who have been assessed or recorded by your authority as homeless. If it would exceed the section 12 limit to provide six years of data, please explain why that is and instead provide data for the time period that you are able to provide within the limit.

For the relevant period, please provide the following information, broken down by financial year (or calendar year, if more appropriate):

1. The total number of individuals who have approached your authority seeking assistance as homeless.

2. Of those who approached your authority as homeless, how many were recognised as refugees (that is, individuals granted refugee status or humanitarian protection with leave to remain)?

3. Of the homeless individuals recognised as refugees, how many were granted their refugee status and leave to remain by a different local authority?

4. Total annual spending on homelessness for each of the past six financial years (or as many as you are able to provide within the s.12 limit).

This should cover:

a. Support provided under statutory homelessness duties.

b. Support for individuals presenting informally or via referral who do not qualify for statutory assistance.

5. Of the total homelessness spend, how much was spent on homeless individuals with refugee status?

Please treat this request in accordance with the timelines set by the Act.

---

Response

1. This information is published on the .gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness

2. This information is published on the .gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness

3. Information not held. Hastings Borough Council does not grant refugee status or leave to remain.

4. The gross cost of privately procured temporary accommodation (PPTA) is as follows:

2019/20 - £2,248,681

2020/21 - £2,937,002

2021/22 - £4,348,358

2022/23 - £7,334,334

2023/24 - £9,781,487

2024/25 - £10,443,895

5. As far as the request 'of the total homelessness spend', as given by the answer to question 4, the council does not hold the refugee status of all individuals in temporary accommodation so cannot provide the breakdown for this. However, there are separate resettlement schemes relating to refugees from Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan.

These are fully funded by the Home Office. They are resettlement schemes and do not per se relate to homelessness. As advised by the Home Office, all enquiries with regards to these schemes are to be directed to the Home Office and not to District and Borough councils:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office