We call on Manchester City Council to take immediate and meaningful action to end street homelessness in our city, provide accommodation to all people currently rough sleeping and address the racism and gatekeeping embedded within homelessness services.

The UK is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and Manchester is one of the wealthiest cities in the UK. Access to accommodation is not being given to all those who need it, and refugees and recent migrants are particularly susceptible to the routine gatekeeping of homelessness services engaged by councils. This is due to a lack of political will, locally and nationally to fund ending the housing crisis. It is unacceptable—morally and politically—that people who have come here seeking safety are sleeping on the streets for weeks and months at a time. 

Over recent months, refugees—many of whom have fled war, persecution, climate catastrophies, humanitarian crises and genocide—have been forced to sleep in tents in Manchester city centre. They have tried repeatedly to find safe, adequate housing and have been met with barriers, lack of support, and, ultimately, eviction.

We know that housing is an issue which affects us all. People across Manchester are living in fear of eviction, paying rents they can’t afford, or trying to recover from illness in damp, unsafe homes. A home should mean safety, access to food and healthcare, rest, work, community and learning opportunities. It should not be something that can be taken away by policies, landlords, bailiffs or systems that treat some lives as less worthy than others.

On 26 February and again on 3 June 2025, Manchester City Council, supported by police and cleaning teams, forcibly removed people sleeping in tents from St Peter’s Square and Albert Square. People lost tents, ID documents, essential medication, and personal belongings. When residents asked, “Where are we meant to go?” - the Council responded: “It’s not our problem.”

Manchester has the resources to respond differently. Instead of providing a functional and effective housing service, emergency accommodation, or cost effective, impactful and sustainable affordable housing development, we see Manchester City Council neglecting residents, failing in its duty of care and support, while allowing developers to extract profit from this city. 

This is why we are demanding:

1. Emergency accommodation for all people sleeping rough in Manchester.

Those currently sleeping rough must be offered safe, interim accommodation immediately.

2. Equal treatment for all migrants.

Most of those evicted on 26 February and 30 May are Black - it’s clear that racism continues to pervade housing and homelessness systems. Non-white refugees must receive the same level of local support and access to housing as that provided to refugees from Ukraine. The Council has a statutory duty to stop discrimination and meet the different needs of people from protected groups.

3. A formal review of the Homelessness Service and the role of Mustard Tree.
We call on the Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee to review the Council’s homelessness response, with specific focus on Mustard Tree’s involvement.

Refugees have reported:

• Homelessness assessments not being properly completed and having appointments repeatedly cancelled without prior notice
• Inadequate interpretation during interview and assessments
• Poor or abusive treatment by staff
• Barriers to healthcare and GP access
• Lack of clear communication and refusal of deposit support
• Many have been told that Mustard Tree is the only route to help, while receiving no meaningful support from them.

4. Council-funded deposits for people owed a housing duty.

People just granted refugee status often have no savings, no UK guarantors, no friends or family to stay with, are still learning English and are receiving Universal Credit. The combination of poverty and discrimination in the private rental market means that without Council help—including deposits—many remain locked out of housing altogether.

5. A direct meeting between Manchester City Councillors and members of the refugee community who have been forced to sleep in tents.

This meeting must include those directly affected by recent evictions from St Peter’s and Albert Square, and be focused on real housing solutions for all.