CHAPTER 1: HOUSING
We invited six strangers, from totally different walks of life, to sit down and share their experiences of the same issue. ​
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However, these conversations are just the beginning. What we need is for anyone who has been touched by the stories in this film to organise and take action. We don't have all the solutions but here are some steps, as well as more information on some of the themes in this film.​​​
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In 2023, Untelevised began working with three young migrants to expose the horrible conditions in asylum hotels and advocate for the right to decent housing for all. This work took us to Parliament with Generation Rent and Migrants Organise; to various housing protests and direct actions and the young people began working on their own documentary.
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During the process, the exact challenges the young people were fighting against, soon became obstacles to their work. They were each evicted multiple times from their homes and two of them became homeless for parts of the filming duration. Alongside other issues embolic of their circumstances, such as one person's prolonged fight to bring their family to the UK after they were displaced by the war in Sudan.
This led to the decision to change the format of the documentary, focusing instead on the power of conversation.
To do this we partnered with Homeless Charity, Groundswell, to identify people with experience of homelessness willing to share their lived experiences (and production company, On Our Radar, to support us in capturing them). Through this film, we are giving a platform to this lived experience - the universal story of what it feels like to not have a home. Something which affects Asylum Seekers and British citizens alike, in a myriad of ways, but all equally unacceptable.
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FACTS BEHIND THE THEMES
There are lots of different themes discussed in the film. Some of which we feel may require some extra context. We've highlighted them onscreen with an i icon. Read more on each below:​​
HOMELESSNESS
IN THE UK​
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There is no national figure for the number of people without a permanent home across the UK. This is because homelessness is typically measured differently in each nation (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Island) and because many people experiencing homelessness do not show up in official statistics at all.
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However, a conservative estimate is that more than 350,000 households experience homelessness on any given day in Britain. This might take the form of rough sleeping, living in inappropriate buildings (such as a shed or a garage), sofa surfing, squatting and temporary accommodations (such as hostels and B&Bs). Homeless charity, Crisis, estimates that as many as 62% of single homeless people do not show up on official figures.
People become homeless for a lot of different reasons. All are rooted in the failure of social and political structures. Often people are forced into homelessness when they leave prison, care or the army, with no home to go to. Many women experiencing homelessness have escaped a violent or abusive relationship. Others become homeless because they can no longer afford rent. And, for many, life events like a relationship breaking down, losing a job, mental or physical health problems, or substance misuse put people under considerable strain.
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Whatever the cause, homelessness is preventable and in every case, it can be ended.
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Source: Big Issue, Crisis UK, Shelter, Financial Times
SYRIANS SEEKING REFUGE IN TURKEY​
Syria has been in a civil war since March 2011 which has resulted in the world’s largest refugee crisis. Since this time, more than 14 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety:
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Over 7.2 million Syrians remain internally displaced, where 70% are in need of humanitarian assistance and 90% live below the poverty line with limited access to basic services, education or job opportunities.
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Approximately 5.5 million Syrian refugees live in the five countries neighbouring Syria —Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
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Turkey is the biggest refugee-hosting country in the world and also hosts the largest population of Syrian refugees at 3.3 million. Ninety p​ercent of Syrian refugees living in Türkiye cannot fully cover their monthly expenses or basic needs.
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Source: UNHCR, Refugee Council
THE 'RWANDA DEAL'
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The 'Rwanda Deal' is shorthand for the 'Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024. It is an act of Parliament that aimed to 'deter unlawful migration, particularly by unsafe and illegal routes, by allowing some migrants to be sent to Rwanda.'
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It was initiated in 2022 and cost taxpayers over £318 million. Just 2 years later, in July 2024, it was scrapped by the newly elected Labour government.
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For a detailed timeline of events, and the campaign against it, visit Freedom from Torture.
HOME OFFICE ACCOMMODATION
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Housing people seeking refugee protection, whilst they wait for a decision on their claim for asylum, has been UK Government policy since 1999.
Since 2012, the Home Office has contracted refugee housing in the UK out to private corporations. In 2019 they handed out 10 year contracts, to 3 main providers, at a cost of £4.7 billion. These corporations essentially act as middlemen between the Home Office and smaller companies that run the accommodation on a day-to-day basis.
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There are currently around 400 hotels housing around 50,000 asylum seekers. They cost more than £8 million a day to run. Initially, hotels or hostels were only intended to be used as a temporary solution, for a few weeks, before moving people on to longer-term, self-catered homes. However, the increase in people claiming asylum and the backlog of unprocessed claims has led to a growth in the use of hotels.
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All too often, people seeking asylum are left in inhumane conditions, struggling to access help and support, causing lasting harm. High-profile accommodations have included Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset and the ex-military barracks at RAF Wethersfield in Essex. They have been described as ‘quasi-detention‘ by a parliamentary inquiry.
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Source: IPPR, Asylum Matters, The Guardian,
The Standard, BBC News, APPG
HOME OFFICE PROCESSING TIMES​
In 2024, there are around 120 million people who are forcibly displaced across the world. The UK is home to approximately 1% of these people.
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The UK asylum system is strictly controlled and complex. It is very difficult for people seeking asylum to provide the evidence required to be granted protection. Despite these challenges, the majority of asylum claims are successful. In the year ending June 2022, 76% of initial decisions resulted in a grant of asylum or other form of protection.
The average waiting time for an initial decision on an asylum case is between one and three years, and there is a growing backlog of cases. As of June 2024, the total ‘work in progress’ asylum caseload consisted of 224,700 cases.
Since 2005, most people recognised as refugees are only permitted to stay in the UK for five years. This makes it difficult for them to make decisions about their future, to find work and make definite plans for their life in the UK. Whilst waiting for their decision, most people seeking asylum are living in poverty and experience poor health and hunger. Almost all people seeking asylum are not allowed to work and are forced to rely on state support—this is as little as £6.43 a day to live on.
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For more information on the UK asylum system and how to navigate it, visit Right to Remain.
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Source: UNHCR, House of Commons Library, Refugee Council
HOMELESS HOSTELS​
Hostels are a key part of the response to street homelessness in parts of the UK and are often used as a solution for several months whilst someone waits for more permanent accommodation. Often they require the person to be referred either by a charity, local authority or frontline outreach team.
While they offer some shelter from the elements, a person living in a hostel is still considered homeless.
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Hostels are not free. Residents must pay rent during the stay and often will be required to pay a service charge to cover the cost of meals and laundry as well as utility costs in the hostel.
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While housing benefit may cover the rent, it does not cover the service charge and that must be paid through other means. Finding up to £35 a week for a service charge can be a tricky proposition for someone experiencing homelessness and residents can be evicted if they don’t keep up with payments. This issue has recently been the subject of a Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee inquiry citing fears that the sector is largely unregulated.
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More than 90% of the 1,286 people who died whilst experiencing homelessness in 2021 were staying in hostels, according to the Museum of Homelessness's annual 'Dying Homeless' project.
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Source: Big Issue
THINGS YOU CAN DO
Homelessness is not something that's bound to happen. It is a socially and politically charged systemic issue. ​
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This was illustrated in 2020 when the UK government showed what can be achieved with political will. As an emergency response to the pandemic, the government took the unprecedented step of asking local Councils to accommodate everyone who was sleeping rough on the streets. The scheme, called 'Everyone In', saw over 37,000 people experiencing homelessness being given emergency accommodation. Although not perfect, it did prove what was possible if the political will is there.
However, we believe that the solution lies in the prevention of homelessness in the first place, rather than cure. Our power lies in our collection action.
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For more information on the UK asylum system and how to navigate it:
If you are a Migrant, Refugee or Asylum Seeker and want to join a community of organisers fighting for power, dignity and justice, join Migrants Organise.
To learn more about housing rights in the UK, go to:
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To support housing rights and advocate for a fairer housing system, that favours people over profit (and advocated for things like lower rents, longer tenancies and better conditions), join London Renters Union.
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To stop raids on asylum accommodation, locate an anti-raid group. You can find one near you by typing 'your area + anti-raid group' into Google or Instagram eg. 'Plymouth anti-raid group'
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To write to your MP about any of the issues discussed, go to Write to Them.