Charity asks householders to consider giving a spare room to asylum seekers threatened with eviction
Volunteers are being asked to accommodate asylum seekers in their homes after a threat of eviction was issued to 300 in Glasgow.
Positive Action in Housing (PAiH) wants host families to offer spare rooms to asylum seekers facing eviction at the hands of Home Office housing contractor Serco.
The private contractor says it will change the locks on premises of those who have exhausted their right to stay in the UK and have issued warnings threatening imminent eviction.
Charites have expressed their concerns that if the mass evictions go ahead, third sector services will not be able to cope with the sudden influx.
Robina Qureshi, PAiH director, said: "If this mass eviction goes ahead, it will fall to Positive Action in Housing, not the council or other refugee services who refer to us, as the lead crisis prevention charity to provide shelter in the homes of our volunteers.
“ The City Council is forbidden from housing those with no recourse to funds unless they are eligible for social work assistance. The British Red Cross, and other refugee and homelessness agencies in the city refer all refugees, asylum seekers and those with NRPF to our Room for Refugees service.
"Last year we provided 45,000 nights of continuous shelter and saved UK government and aid charities around £2 Million in shelter costs. Accommodation is not the end goal, as proactive casework and legal resolution then kicks in to help people get their papers.
“Therefore, I have today spoken with Rupert Soames and asked him to instruct his staff in Glasgow to signpost those with seven day notices to Positive Action in Housing so that we can arrange shelter through our host families.”
It comes amid increasing pressure from the city council, campaigners and politicians to reconsider the move. Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, has set up a task force and has asked the Home Office to reconsider.
And Mike Dailly of the Govan Law Centre said any move to evict the 300 could be deemed illegal as proper procedures have not been adhered to by Serco.
