Almost 4,000 people trapped in direct provision due to housing crisis

Almost 4,000 people with legal status to remain are “trapped in direct provision [but] could leave in the morning” if they could access housing, a lead agency working to help former asylum seekers get homes has said.

The Depaul charity, which provides a transition service out of direct provision, says its ability to move people on has “had a complete slowdown” this year. Since 2019 it has supported about 1,000 people to move out of direct provision. In the first six months of 2021 it helped 201 people to progress out, but it has moved just 39 so far this year.

Latest data from the Department of Children show at the end of June there were 3,676 former asylum seekers, with legal leave to remain, in accommodation centres operated by the International Protection Accommodation Services. This compares with 3,278 at the end of May, and 2,873 at the end of April.

The rapid increase in those without homes is being driven by rising numbers of asylum seekers getting refugee status but being unable to access privately rented and social housing.

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While 593 people were recognised as having a legal right to remain in the first half of last year, a total of 2,208 were recognised to the end of June this year. A total of 447 were granted status last month — the highest monthly total in 19 months.

At the same time, numbers progressing into the community have fallen — from 502 between January and June 2021 to just 293 so far this year.

David Carroll, chief executive of the Depaul, said: “We have worked in this area since 2019 and have seen a complete slowdown in our ability to move people on. The issue is the housing crisis, coupled with the additional barriers this group face.

“The vast majority would progress into private rented [accommodation], using the HAP [housing assistance payment]. There are huge barriers — first the language issue, trying to negotiate a really difficult housing market when you have little or no English; the other piece is employment. They have to work to top up the HAP. Many are living in regional centres and may have to travel long distances to access employment, to view houses.”

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Depaul employs someone to help search for housing. “In June she replied to 363 adverts over seven counties. She got 12 responses and eight viewings. So that’s the kind of numbers you’re looking at,” he said. “The key issue is the housing crisis, lack of housing supply across the county. If we had the housing, all those 3,676 people trapped in direct provision would leave in the morning”.

Describing the figures as “deeply troubling”, Sinn Féin’s spokesman on housing, Eoin Ó Broin, said they would “only get worse”.

“The disorderly exit of accidental and semi-professional landlords from the private sector, coupled with the ongoing failure to increase social housing provision, is not only driving the homeless crisis but trapping an ever greater number of adults and children in direct provision who should not be there. These people are homeless and using direct provision as emergency accommodation.”

The Department of Housing did not provide a comment at the time of publication.