Written question asked by Jacqui Lait (Conservative) on Monday, 23 July 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 July 2007. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Monday, 29 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Housing: Immigration

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make an estimate of the number of social dwellings owned by (a) local councils and (b) registered social landlords which are allocated to non-British citizens with work permits, asylum seekers and refugees.

Answer: Work permit holders granted leave to enter or remain in the UK are not eligible for social housing allocated by local authorities. No data are held centrally about RSL lettings which may be made to work permit holders.Asylum seekers are not eligible for social housing allocated by local authorities under Part 6 of the Housing Act (1996), but can seek help with accommodation from the Home Office if they are destitute.Refugees who have been granted asylum in the United Kingdom because they have a well founded fear of being persecuted in their own country are eligible for social housing. Using a combination of data sources (the Continuous Recording of Lettings form (CORE), and the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA)), we estimate that in 2005-06 less than 0.5 per cent. of new general needs lettings to new social housing tenants in England were to refugees.

Secondary information