British taxpayers told to pay up as homeless migrant numbers soar to almost 20,000 while local councils scramble to cover costs

Once migrants leave Home Office-provided accommodation, local authorities bear the responsibility for providing financial support.

Despite making up fewer than half a per cent of the UK population, more than one in 20 former asylum seekers are receiving statutory homelessness support from councils, The Telegraph has revealed.

That figure has soared from 2,640 in 2020-2021 to 18,140 in 2023-2024.

Asylum seekers to Britain are initially housed by the Home Office while they wait for a decision on their application.

Successful applicants are then handed a 28-day "move-on period" to find their own accommodation, after which their Home Office support is withdrawn.

The Local Government Association has laid into the Home Office as a result, saying the "approach of withdrawing support so abruptly" has only ratcheted up pressure on already "stretched" council budgets.

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The group's chairman Louise Gittins said: "The approach of withdrawing support so abruptly as part of the current move-on period adds pressure on to already-stretched council budgets and services.

"We need greater recognition from central government of the crucial role councils play in supporting effective move-on processes," she told The Telegraph.

Gittins added: "Councils are the experts in their communities and know what steps can be taken to minimise the impact on asylum seekers, local people, and council resources."

She has urged the Government to double the move-on period from 28 days to 56 in order to bring it "into line with best practice around supporting other vulnerable people".

And homelessness charities like Shelter and Crisis have said the four-week time frame is not long enough for former asylum seekers to find their own housing.

Council tax hikes across the country are expected to help plug the funding hole - earlier this month, Labour confirmed that English local authorities will be able to raise core council tax by 3 per cent and the adult social care precept by 2 per cent for 2025-26, with most authorities widely expected to increase bills by the maximum allowed.

Councils have blamed their financial challenges on the soaring cost of adult social care - and homelessness support plays its part.

A Government spokesman said: "We have inherited enormous pressures in the asylum system and legally we have to make sure individuals have the support they need following an asylum decision.

"We are also working closely with local authorities so that they can better plan for those refugees who are homeless and require help finding accommodation."