A last-minute order from the High Court on 18 December has forced the Home Office to reinstate a 56-day “move-on” period for people who have just been granted refugee status. The ruling, secured by law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn after emergency proceedings, prevents an estimated 3,000 men, women and children from being evicted from government asylum hotels with only 28 days’ notice over the festive season.
Background pressure had been building since August, when ministers quietly cut the move-on period back to 28 days despite evidence that the longer 56-day pilot – introduced in 2024 – sharply reduced street homelessness among refugees. More than 60 NGOs, including the British Red Cross, warned that thousands would be left destitute in the depths of winter.
Under the court order, case-workers must now extend the notice period to 56 days wherever there is “imminent prospect of street homelessness”. Campaigners say this effectively buys refugees crucial time to register with local authorities, open bank accounts and secure jobs or benefits – steps that are often impossible within four weeks, especially during the Christmas shutdown.
![UK High Court Halts Christmas-time Evictions of Newly-Recognised Refugees]()
For anyone struggling to navigate related immigration paperwork or to help new arrivals transition into legally secure status, services like VisaHQ can provide practical assistance. Through its UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), VisaHQ offers clear, step-by-step guidance and document checks, helping refugees, employers and local authorities submit applications or renewals correctly and on time.
Practically, employers and local councils that rely on the labour of newly-recognised refugees gain an extra month to help with integration, reducing sudden loss of accommodation that can jeopardise job offers. However, the order does not cover the hundreds already evicted since August, leaving charities scrambling to find beds for rough-sleepers.
Immigration lawyers argue the case is a warning to the Home Office that cost-cutting measures which risk destitution will face judicial scrutiny. Business groups also note that preventing homelessness lowers the burden on councils and avoids negative headlines that could damage the UK’s reputation as a destination for humanitarian migrants and the employers who need their skills.
Background pressure had been building since August, when ministers quietly cut the move-on period back to 28 days despite evidence that the longer 56-day pilot – introduced in 2024 – sharply reduced street homelessness among refugees. More than 60 NGOs, including the British Red Cross, warned that thousands would be left destitute in the depths of winter.
Under the court order, case-workers must now extend the notice period to 56 days wherever there is “imminent prospect of street homelessness”. Campaigners say this effectively buys refugees crucial time to register with local authorities, open bank accounts and secure jobs or benefits – steps that are often impossible within four weeks, especially during the Christmas shutdown.
For anyone struggling to navigate related immigration paperwork or to help new arrivals transition into legally secure status, services like VisaHQ can provide practical assistance. Through its UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), VisaHQ offers clear, step-by-step guidance and document checks, helping refugees, employers and local authorities submit applications or renewals correctly and on time.
Practically, employers and local councils that rely on the labour of newly-recognised refugees gain an extra month to help with integration, reducing sudden loss of accommodation that can jeopardise job offers. However, the order does not cover the hundreds already evicted since August, leaving charities scrambling to find beds for rough-sleepers.
Immigration lawyers argue the case is a warning to the Home Office that cost-cutting measures which risk destitution will face judicial scrutiny. Business groups also note that preventing homelessness lowers the burden on councils and avoids negative headlines that could damage the UK’s reputation as a destination for humanitarian migrants and the employers who need their skills.
