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The LGA's media office provides the national voice of local government in England and Wales on the major issues of the day for national, regional and local press.

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Councils call for more time for people moving on from asylum accommodation - LGA snapshot survey

A new 'snapshot' survey by the LGA reveals that councils are calling for the extension of the 'move-on' period, the time between an asylum seeker receiving a decision on their application and having to leave Home Office funded accommodation, to ease the financial impact on Local Authorities.

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LGA responds to NAO's report on alternative asylum accommodation

“Councils want to work with government on developing a better system for accommodating and supporting asylum seekers."

LGA responds to Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme

"Councils work incredibly hard to support asylum and resettlement and have helped communities welcome around 200,000 Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war two years ago."

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Thousands of refugees could be on the streets for Christmas without urgent government action

According to Home Office data, there were around 90,000 decisions on older cases forecasted to be made before the end of December 2023. The pace and scale of the Home Office’s decision-making means that large numbers of people are already and will continue to turn to councils for support.

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LGA response to the announcement that fifty hotels will be closed to asylum seekers by January

Responding to the immigration minister Robert Jenrick’s announcement that fifty hotels will be closed to asylum seekers by January, Cllr Shaun Davies, Chair of the Local Government Association said: “Councils have a proud history of supporting humanitarian efforts and continue to work hard to protect and support refugees and help deliver a wide range of government asylum and resettlement schemes. Councils share the government’s ambitions to end hotel use for asylum seekers. “Hotel closures have a direct impact on councils and local government wants to play an active role in working with

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LGA on the announcement of the annual refugee cap launching in January 2025

We have raised concerns about councils being asked to commit to numbers of arrivals or propose a cap. It might be difficult for councils to predict potential arrival numbers across both asylum and resettlement and therefore their capacity to support new arrivals and the additional housing needed.

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LGA responds to £650 million support package for Ukrainians

“The LGA has been raising concerns with government on the growing number of Ukrainians presenting as homeless to councils, and in particular the significant rise in those who arrived through the Homes for Ukraine scheme as their six month period with hosts ends", says Chairman of the Local Government Association, Cllr James Jamieson.

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Government must take action to end the crisis of unaccompanied children being placed in hotels

The Local Government Association is calling on the Government to help councils to develop more placements for unaccompanied children so that children can be moved directly to their long-term homes.

Homeless man with backpack on walking

LGA responds to latest Ukrainian homelessness statistics

“Councils are continuing to work hard to help new arrivals from Ukraine settle in the UK and to support those in their communities offering assistance to those fleeing the devastating conflict."

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LGA responds to government Homes for Ukraine scheme

The Government must continue to work closely with councils, the community and voluntary sector and other key local partners to co-design this sponsorship scheme so it can move at pace and scale."