Refugee Week 2024: CIH and MTVH unveil new-look Housing Rights website

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH) have unveiled a refreshed version of the Housing Rights website.

Housing Rights gives recent arrivals and housing advisers up-to-date information about people's rights when looking for a home, based on their immigration status.

Coinciding with Refugee Week 2024 (17-23 June), the new website has been designed to improve the user experience and ease navigation so both housing advisers and new arrivals can easily access the information they need.

Juliana Bell, programme delivery manager of the Migration Foundation commented:

“The MTVH Migration Foundation is a long-term supporter of CIH’s Housing Rights website and newsletter. It is a brilliant resource, providing recent arrivals and housing advisers with up-to-date information about people's rights when looking for a home, based on their immigration status. I would encourage all front line housing professionals to bookmark the website, to keep abreast of the latest developments. “

The refresh comes as the government updates the list of migrants eligible to join local authority waiting lists for housing.

On 7 June, a new homeless immigration class was added regarding a form of domestic abuse called ‘transnational marriage abandonment’, which can occur in honour-based abuse.

The change means that the wife of a British citizen or UK settled person on a spousal visa can be given leave to re-enter the UK on the grounds that they were deliberately stranded by their husband overseas. This is a form of domestic abuse that exploits the survivor’s weak immigration status. Such survivors can now join a local authority waiting list for housing or be helped as homeless.

John Perry contributing editor of the Housing Rights website commented:

“As political parties across the UK tackle immigration with new proposals and policies, we see increasing numbers of immigrants and refugees presenting as homeless. The Housing Rights website, and newsletters, provide an essential tool for housing professionals across the UK. Cutting through the news, policies, and changes to provide the up-to-date information they need about people’s housing rights when looking for a home. We encourage all housing professionals to bookmark the website and sign up to the newsletters to keep up-to-date ”