Social services threatened to take refugee’s newborn baby away in row over horror hostel

Ali’s wife had just given birth to a baby girl. His family, homeless after being granted refugee status, was living in a single room in a hostel. In the run-up to the baby’s birth – with Ali, his wife and their son sharing the same bed – they had worried about losing the baby. 

After the birth of his daughter, he did not want his wife to return to that room where it would be four in a bed, in a building where police were often called due to fights breaking out. Instead, Ali and his wife wanted her to stay in hospital while he went to the local housing centre to try and find somewhere else.

“I was at the housing centre every day when I just wanted to be with my wife and baby. I never forgot the time the social worker said: ‘If you don’t go to this accommodation that social services will take our child,’” said Ali (as a survivor of torture, Ali’s name has been changed).

“This made us so scared. We took our baby back to the hostel as soon as they threatened this but we felt the safer place for our baby would have been the hospital as the accommodation was not suitable for our newborn baby.”

Read more:

• This housing project claims it could save Labour millions on housing asylum seekers in hotels
• ‘I came here for safety and I’ve come into danger’: The grim reality of life in asylum hotels for women
• Did Labour just abandon its promise for a fairer asylum system?

Big Issue previously told Ali and his family’s story in 2023, after they were caught up in a wave of refugee homelessness, with nowhere to live after being granted protection but evicted from Home Office accommodation at short notice.

His family’s struggles with homelessness are not unique. Refugee homelessness has soared in recent years. Reporting a 99% increase in the year to November 2024, the No Accommodation Network declared a “refugee homelessness emergency” last year.

Many of those become homeless after being granted refugee status and told to leave asylum accommodation such as hotels and hotels. As Big Issue revealed in 2023, a reduction in the time given to newly-recognised refugees before eviction saw the numbers of homeless refugees triple – and despite a reversal in policy, the issue remains.

After months in the hostel, Ali found a new property after being supported by a solicitor from Freedom from Torture.

Salma Iqbal, the charity’s national welfare manager, told Big Issue housing struggles for refugees remain common – and have a massive impact on wellbeing.

“For those who’ve just arrived in the UK and are trying to rebuild their lives, dangerous accommodation can compound an already difficult road to recovery,” said Iqbal.

“Every single day in our therapy rooms, we see the impact of unsuitable and unsafe accommodation has on the mental and physical wellbeing of people who’ve survived torture.” 

Iqbal added: “Poor conditions can exacerbate both the physical and mental harm caused by torture, and unsuitable environments can lead to survivors feeling unsafe and can trigger PTSD symptoms. This all acts as a huge barrier to beginning the long, hard process of rebuilding their lives.”

Now in a two-bedroom flat paid for with housing benefit, Ali said his family feel more secure and can begin to look forward.

“My family are comfortable, the stress of the accommodation has all gone,” he said. “My son has space. He can play with his toys. Our baby is thriving and also has space in the house to play.”

Promises are easy to break. Sign Big Issue’s petition for a Poverty Zero law and help us make tackling poverty a legal requirement, not just a policy priority.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. Big Issue exists to give homeless and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy of the magazine or get the app from the App Store or Google Play.