'Manchester is a caring and welcoming city, but we can't cope with this'

ROUGH SLEEPING ON RISE AS MORE REFUGEES SEARCHING FOR HOMES

- JOSEPH TIMAN

AS the sun rises above St Peter's Square, a row of sleeping bags, duvets and a tent are lined up under the arches outside Manchester town hall. It's not an unfamiliar sight in the city centre, where dozens of people sleep rough every night.

But something has changed. While rough sleeping has risen elsewhere in the country, Manchester had managed to bring numbers down. That was until now.

Last year, the M.E.N. reported on the huge numbers of refugees living in Greater Manchester being kicked out of their accommodation after they are granted asylum. It comes as the government clears the backlog of asylum claims.

After their asylum claims are approved and their residence permit is issued, they have 28 days to leave their government-funded accommodation. Once they're evicted, councils then become responsible for housing those who cannot afford it themselves.

But in recent months, people from all over the country have been coming to Manchester, hoping to find a home in the city.

On Wednesday morning, the M.E.N. found people who had travelled from Maidenhead, Newcastle and Belfast sleeping rough under the town hall arches. Most of them were refugees who had recently been evicted from their asylum accommodation.

Manchester council has urged people not to travel to the city to find accommodation - or sleep rough on its streets - as it is unlikely housing will be available. The town hall says the legal duty to house someone is the responsibility of the local council where they previously lived - or in the case of refugees, the local authority area where they receive their asylum decision from the Home Office.