The Home Office has announced plans to require people seeking protection to share hotel rooms.
We are not aware of this plan starting in Scotland yet, where over 1,200 people are currently housed in hotel rooms. But we are very clear that forcing people to share bedrooms with strangers is not okay.
Everyone has the right to safe and adequate housing. These new measures could leave people in cramped conditions, without privacy, and could re-traumatise those who have fled violence, oppression and persecution.
It is an appalling, inhumane and irresponsible way to treat people seeking safety.
We urge the UK government to drop these plans. Forcing people to double up in temporary hotel rooms is not the answer. Neither are barges or army barracks.
They should instead focus on creating a fair and efficient asylum system to clear the backlog of hundreds of thousands of people who have been left in limbo waiting for a decision on their right to remain here.
If the current system were not so broken by the UK government, policies like forced bedroom sharing would not be being considered.
This week, Scottish politicians spoke out against the plan. We now urge the First Minister to intervene and instruct his government to identify and pursue all legal and policy options to stop bedroom sharing happening in Scotland.
If you are affected by the plans or need any information or advice about your situation, please call our free and confidential helpline on 0808 196 7274
Read more about our response to inappropriate accommodation.
