Revoke rules for refusing or cancelling permission to stay for rough sleepers

The Government should scrap rule changes that came into effect on 1 December that will allow non-UK nationals to have permission to stay refused or cancelled for rough sleeping. Rough sleeping numbers have increased dramatically since the pandemic, particularly among those with NRPF status.

The Government has said that this rule will be used sparingly, as a last resort. However, homelessness charities and migrant rights organisations have strongly opposed this rule, describing it as a "huge step backwards", and say that it will prevent vulnerable people asking for help. The shadow home secretary has said: “Deporting people for being homeless is immoral."

We ask that the Government listen to the groups with first hand experience of these issues and reverse their decision.

No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) is a condition that has been applied to those staying here with a temporary immigration status under successive Governments. The general expectation of the Government is that migrants coming into the UK should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds. This reflects the need to maintain the confidence of the general public that immigration brings benefits to our country, rather than costs to the UK taxpayer. Only those who are normally or habitually resident in the UK are entitled to access benefits and social housing, reflecting their strength of connection to the UK. This includes those with indefinite leave to remain, refugees, protected persons and those granted discretionary leave.

The Government remains committed to protecting vulnerable people and has acted decisively to ensure that everyone is supported through this pandemic. Many of the wide-ranging Covid-19 measures the Government has put in place, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme, have been made available to migrants with NRPF. We have published guidance and support for migrants affected by Covid-19 at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-get-support-if-youre-a-migrant-living-in-the-uk.

The Government has provided councils with £6.4 billion to support their communities through this pandemic. The Government has also provided significant additional funding to local authorities to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, with over £700 million funding in 2020-’21.