Today (6 November) St Mungo’s, along with more than 70 other homelessness and migrant rights organisations, has written to Government Ministers to raise ‘grave concerns’ about proposed changes to Immigration Rules which could make rough sleeping grounds for deporting non-UK nationals.
The letter has been sent to the Home Secretary Priti Patel MP and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Robert Jenrick MP, with the organisations calling for ministers to work with them to deliver more positive and effective alternatives.
Steve Douglas CBE, St Mungo’s Chief Executive, said: “We stand with our colleagues in other homelessness charities, in expressing our concerns about this new immigration policy.
“Our outreach teams work tirelessly delivering life-saving services. This policy does nothing to build trust for those sleeping rough who need our support.”
The Government’s change in policy was announced on October 22 and is planned to come into effect once the UK leaves the European Union on 31 December.
The letter also calls for the ministers to temporarily suspend no recourse to public funds conditions and the habitual residence test for 12 months which would help people with leave to remain in the UK to access essential support, such as Universal Credit and statutory homelessness assistance, so that they can avoid eviction and homelessness while unable to work.
