"It is clear that in too many cases Providers are placing people in accommodation that is substandard, poorly maintained and, at times, unsafe. Some of this accommodation is a disgrace and it is shameful that some very vulnerable people have been placed in such conditions," the report said.
The parliament committee outlined how the current system for housing asylum seekers is ineffective, as many people are not receiving the proper support or resources to sustain themselves. Some of the biggest concerns for people were infestations of rodents and bedbugs, lack of cleanliness and furnishings, and various health-related issues which stem from the poor housing conditions, the report said.
In response to their findings, the Home Affairs Committee has called upon the government for immediate action to ameliorate the housing standards of asylum seeks in the United Kingdom. Specifically, it calls for an improved inspection scheme, increased transparency in the complaints mechanism for asylum seekers, and more involvement of local authorities.
According to the committee, there are currently more asylum seekers housed than initially estimated. The UK Home Office initially predicted that some 20,000 to 25,000 asylum seekers would need to be housed at any one time. In reality, there were 38,441 total people housed as of February 2016. An additional 77,440 had their application in progress.
