Briefing: Illegal Migration Bill and asylum seeker accommodation regulations

Shelter strongly supports Amendment 58 to the Illegal Migration Bill, which provides for the repeal of the Houses in Multiple Occupation (Asylum-seeker Accommodation) Regulations 2023.

This statutory instrument exempts asylum seeker accommodation from important HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensing requirements. These requirements are in place to make sure that larger HMOs (properties where five or more unrelated adults share accommodation) meet certain basic safety standards to prevent fires and other dangerous hazards.

HMO licensing also ensure that local authorities can identify and proactively enforce against bad practice in larger properties. The government’s plan to exempt asylum seeker accommodation from these vital safety requirements will put people seeking asylum at a higher risk of fires and poorer living conditions.

Shelter is urging Peers to support Amendment 58 to the Illegal Migration Bill, which would prevent the government from repealing these vital safety standards. It inserts a new Clause in order to repeal asylum seeker accommodation regulations on the day the Illegal Migration Act is passed. The asylum-seeker regulations are currently due to take effect from 30 June 2023.