Housing Rights in Transition: Protection Gaps Driving Refugee Homelessness in Europe
At its core, international protection is meant to provide safety and stability to those displaced. Yet, for many recognised refugees in Europe, receiving refugee status may mark the beginning of a new crisis - an abrupt withdrawal of reception support and a hopeless search for affordable housing in a tight market. In the absence of structured support, the moment of protection can therefore become a point of entry into homelessness.
In this report, access to housing and experiences of homelessness among recognised refugees in Europe are reviewed across three interrelated dimensions. We will first analyse the data availability, which shapes the understanding and visibility of post-recognition homelessness, while considering key factors leading to homelessness in the transitions from reception facilities. Secondly, we review the legal rights of recognised refugees, through an analysis of the Regulation (EU)2024/1347 as part of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum (the Qualification Regulation). Starting from the provisions of the Qualification Regulation, we assess the entitlements that should apply to recognised refugees’ access to housing, also in the broader context of international human rights law. Drawing on this, the report concludes with policy recommendations aimed to prevent post-recognition homelessness.