The Scottish Refugee Council has launched a guide for housing professionals to ensure that all refugees and asylum seekers are treated with dignity and fairness

A new guide to ensure refugees right to quality accommodation is upheld has been published by the Scottish Refugee Council.

The guide for housing professionals aims to ensure that all refugees and asylum seekers are protected and treated with dignity and fairness.

Produced with the support of the Scottish Government and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Scotland, the guide provides essential information about people’s rights and entitlements in relation to housing, homelessness and welfare benefits.

It also includes guidance and examples of good practice aimed at reducing homelessness among refugees, increasing housing options and improving tenancy sustainment.

A safe, secure home is so fundamentally important for all of us but especially so for people who are new to Scotland

“For many people in the asylum system, the accommodation they receive on arrival in Scotland is the first safe place of shelter they have known in years,” Jamie Stewart, housing development officer at the Scottish Refugee Council said.

“A safe, secure home is so fundamentally important for all of us but especially so for people who are new to Scotland and trying to navigate their way through complicated systems and may be recovering from torture, trauma and violent human rights abuses.

“Our new guide for housing professionals will help practitioners continue to deliver their important, life-changing work in supporting refugees to integrate into Scottish society and reach their potential as new scots.”

As well as making housing professionals aware of the rights of the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, it also highlights the strengths and the important contribution they can make to communities. It reflects the many changes that have taken place in asylum policy over recent years including the transfer of the responsibility for accommodating asylum seekers away from local authorities to private contractors and the extension in 2015 of the Syrian Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Programme.

Minister for local government and housing Kevin Stewart said: “Scotland is proud to welcome refugees as we recognise the significant contribution they make to diversifying and strengthening our communities.

“Giving refugees access to good quality housing is a crucial part of the resettlement process and the publication of this guide will support the integration of refugees across Scotland.

“It will help the housing sector know and understand the rights of refugees, and ensure that refugees have a safe and secure place to stay.”

Marian Reid, deputy director at CIH Scotland, said: “Moving to a new home can be stressful at the best of times.

“When people arrive in our country through difficult and dangerous circumstances, frontline housing staff play a key role in helping them access the support and services they need.

“This timely guidance will assist them in doing their best for the asylum seekers and refugees they are working with.”

The Housing Practitioners Guide to Integrating Refugees and asylum seekers is available to download free from Scottish Refugee Council’s website.