MPs slam London councils moving refugees to County Durham

The Northern Echo can exclusively reveal that councils across the South, particularly London Borough councils, are shipping refugees from war-torn countries up to County Durham.

Meanwhile, thousands of families in the region wait for temporary accommodation and rents continue to rise - they went up seven per cent in the last year alone.

Politicians and charity leaders have branded the practice “immoral” as there is no support waiting for families when they arrive. Many have been placed in unsuitable accommodation with broken windows and one had no gas or electric.

(Image: Stuart Boulton)

Durham County Council have not been informed when families are moved to the area and only find out when local charities discover them needing support.

Mary Kelly Foy, Labour MP for Durham City, outlined how “incredibly unfair” it is to move these families hundreds of miles and then give them no support when they arrive.

She said: “It's absolutely abhorrent that London authorities are not only discharging their duties by relocating people out of London, away from any support network they may have in place, they are placing vulnerable families in properties that are simply not fit for habitation.

“Stories of families moving into properties lacking basic provisions such as gas, electricity or being completely unfurnished are heartbreaking, and is an absolute dereliction of duty by the London authorities engaged in what appears to be little more than social cleansing. There is not only a risk that these people will fall through the cracks, they appear to be being wilfully put at risk simply for expedience.

“I have heard from support services in my constituency that in many cases, the first they know about these families is when they arrive on their doorstep looking for help.

"This isn't just incredibly unfair on these families being moved huge distances across the country, the lack of notice to receiving councils is placing even more pressure on budgets that have been stretched to the limit after 14 years of austerity, and on communities often already battling extreme poverty and deprivation.

(Image: Northern Echo) “I wrote to the Home Secretary just last week asking her to look into this, and will be seeking further answers as to how this utterly immoral practice can be stopped as soon as possible, and what support can be offered to these families and the communities into which they are moving.”

Joanne Thorns, refugee and asylum seeker project co-ordinator for Communities Together Durham, described how families were arriving in County Durham “with no support”.

She said: “Over the last few months we have seen an increasing number of families moved up from various London authorities to properties in the North East.

“We understand that these are families that require housing, but due to the lack of housing and costs some authorities are choosing to discharge their responsibilities and homelessness duty by offering the families houses they have acquired in the North East.

“From what we have seen these tend to be houses secured from private landlords and the new tenants are expected to sign a two-year tenancy without seeing the house.

“Most of the families we have encountered have been asylum seeking families who have been granted leave to remain, although I gather other families are being housed in this manner.

Ms Thorns explained how many of the homes are not up to standard which families are being sent to.

She added: “They are often picked up by local charities, neighbours or advice centres, but the families we have seen have had no support from the sending authority.

“The houses we have seen are often below a standard most would expect and the furnishings are minimal.

“We had one family move into a home that had been empty for some time and had no gas or electric.

“We have seen houses with no carpets, no curtains and no sofa, damp and broken windows.

“The families often arrive with what they can carry as they have had to move quickly and nobody is here when they arrive to explain where the nearest shops are.

“Families are moved into an area where they do not know anyone, have no support around them and feel very isolated.

“We have concerns about the families, we and others get to know about some of them but we suspect others are simply left and are struggling on their own.”

Grahame Morris, Labour MP for Easington, outlined how the policy is putting services which are already stretched under “immense strain”.

He said: "I am concerned about the increasing number of vulnerable families being moved to the North East by councils in London and the South without proper support. While we understand the housing challenges these councils face, outsourcing their responsibilities to regions already grappling with deprivation, without sufficient funding or resources, is unacceptable.

"Councils are meant to provide services and support their communities. Unfortunately, what we are seeing is a short-sighted practice that places immense strain on already over-stretched councils and local resources in our region.

"Families are being sent to unfamiliar areas with little to no support, leaving local charities and communities to fill the gaps. This is not a sustainable solution, and it risks deepening social inequalities in our region.

(Image: Northern Echo)

“It is vital that councils take responsibility for the families they relocate, ensuring adequate housing, access to essential services, and appropriate support networks. Moving people without these provisions is not only harmful to the families themselves, but also to the communities that are left to pick up the pieces.

"This practice must stop, and we need to see a coordinated, well-funded approach that puts the well-being of vulnerable families and the communities at its centre."

Cllr Alan Shield, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for equality and inclusion, said: “We pride ourselves on being part of a welcoming and inclusive county and as a council we take a compassionate approach to anyone who is vulnerable or displaced.

“This includes taking part in government refugee resettlement programmes through which we provide support to those who need it, although it is worth stressing the number of people we agree to help is proportionate to the size of our population.

“It’s also worth noting that where people have been given leave by the government to stay in the UK, it is their right to resettle where they like following their initial supported placement.

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“As we’ve previously stated, we are aware that some London councils have offered their residents private tenancies in other parts of the country, including in the North East. These arrangements are made directly between the councils in question and private sector landlords and are not something that we are involved in, nor are they something we condone.  

“We only become aware that people have been relocated to our area when we’re approached by councillors, local charities, members of the community or the families themselves, seeking support and assistance for them. 

“Where this has happened, we have made contact with the councils responsible to query why they have not given us prior notice of the relocation, as they are required to, and whether they have assessed what support is needed or being provided to the residents. We have also arranged to carry out property checks in those few instances in line with our compassionate approach.”

The Home Office acknowledged that the UK Government has resettled many refugees fleeing danger over many years.

A spokesperson said: "Any issues with accommodation should be raised with local authorities, with whom we work extensively to ensure that all families are well supported to build their new lives."