Home Office confirms that evictions from asylum accommodation will pause when SWEP is activated

From the 18th November 2024, with immediate effect, the Home Office has confirmed that evictions of individuals from asylum accommodation will pause for a period of up to, but no more than, 3 days when Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is activated by a Local Authority. This is to support local authorities to meet their humanitarian obligation to preserve life in severe weather conditions. There is currently no end date to this renewal of policy.

The process detailed below should be followed during periods of severe weather:

1. Where SWEP is activated in a local authority area, if Service Users (SU) at the end of their move on period have not secured onward accommodation and are due to be evicted from asylum accommodation, accommodation providers will not actively pursue eviction, and this will be delayed in line with the below.
2. Local Authorities should notify the Home Office and relevant accommodation provider when SWEP has been activated. Notification should include the start date and, if known, when it is expected to be stood down.
3. Accommodation will be provided to the SU for a period of up to, but no more than, three days. The Local Authority will seek to source appropriate accommodation for the SU following the expiration of the three-day period.
4. Local Authorities should notify Home Office and Accommodation Providers when SWEP is deactivated.
5. The extension of any accommodation provided to the SU does not impact on the discontinuation of any Home Office financial asylum support and payments will cease as planned.
6. The SWEP Home Office arrangement does not include SUs already overstaying (i.e. those whose asylum support has already ceased) when SWEP is activated.
7. If a person’s eviction date falls during a period of SWEP, the pause will commence on the eviction date and not the date that SWEP was activated.