Summary  5

1. Introduction  7

2. Methodology  8

A note on data gaps  9

3. General drivers of homelessness  11

4. How immigration status shapes access to housing and support  13

5. The asylum system and homelessness  16

The move-on period  16

Application withdrawn or refused  18

6. Immigration policies and pathways into homelessness  20

Restricted access to support: NRPF and homelessness risk  20

Prolonged and costly immigration pathways  22

Interacting risks: work, exploitation and relationship breakdown  24

7. Policy recommendations  27

Proposal 1: Ensuring the 42-day move-on period prevents homelessness in practice  27

Proposal 2: Embed specialist immigration advice in homelessness and rough sleeping services, alongside housing-led provision  28

Proposal 3: Place a due regard duty on the Home Office to prevent homelessness arising from immigration and asylum policies  29

Proposal 4: Strengthen data sharing between the Home Office and local authorities to support homelessness prevention  30

Proposal 5: Use the Local Authority Housing Fund to prevent homelessness among households with NRPF  31

References  32