Updated Immigration Rules on 22 October 2020 include new discretionary grounds for refusal of permission to stay, or cancellation in-country of permission for those in the UK for a temporary purpose, on the basis of rough sleeping.
More than seventy homelessness organisations, including Crisis, Shelter, St Mungo’s and Homeless Link, have signed a letter urging the government to reconsider new immigration rules that target rough sleepers for deportation.
‘The new rules will punish people for being homeless and take them further away from seeking support if they feel it would risk deportation. Those legally in the UK with no access to state support, and for whom employment is not possible during the pandemic, risk being pushed into exploitative work and potentially modern slavery to avoid sleeping rough and putting themselves at risk of deportation. It may also risk domestic abuse survivors being forced to stay with their perpetrators or unable to seek help.’
