£5 million given to house Solihull refugees
The money's part of the government's Local Authority Housing Fund.
Last updated 9th Aug 2023
Solihull has received over £5 million from the government to provide accommodation for refugees. The money is set to fund 41 properties initially for the benefit of Ukrainian and Afghan refugees in the borough and, in the long term, to be used for social rent or temporary accommodation.
The money is being allocated from the government’s Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) grant and has come in two rounds of funding. The total figure awarded to Solihull is £5,431,496 and the council is required to contribute a further £3,998,096 to the scheme.
Documents indicate no new housing would be built, but instead acquired from the council’s existing housing stock and from the private rented sector. A report claims the maximum number of homes that can be acquired in 2023/24 is 23, with housing associations looking to supply the remaining 18 in due course.
The first round of LAHF provided £500 million to local authorities across the country in March 2023 to find accommodation suitable for Ukranian and Afghan resettlement schemes. Councils are required to show ‘best endeavours’ to deliver their funding allocations by November 30, 2023.
The second round of funding, announced in June this year, has provided a further £250 million to be used primarily for housing Afghan refugees currently living in bridging accommodation, and to ease wider homelessness issues. The deadline for the delivery of these funds is March 29, 2024.
Solihull Council has pledged to resettle up to 80 Afghan refugees and to support over 120 Ukrainian households in finding post-sponsorship accommodation. It claims to have so far welcomed two Afghan families, a total of ten people, via resettlement schemes.
The latest funding plan is set to be discussed by Solihull Council’s cabinet this week on Thursday, August 10.
Documents read: “Whilst LAHF-funded properties must initially be used to accommodate Afghan and Ukrainian refugees, in the longer-term they can be used for general housing needs. Ultimately, this scheme will provide an additional 41 properties, which will make a significant difference to the shortage of family-size accommodation that can be used for social housing, temporary accommodation for families who are homeless and Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation.”