Local Council Refuses to Reveal How Many of Its Social Homes Have Been Allocated to Refugees...
- teessidetoday
- Oct 24
- 4 min read
The revelation will again fuel concerns that certain groups are "leapfrogging" applicants waiting years for housing, in the wake of the Hartlepool Homesearch Choice Based lettings Scandal....
24th October 2025
A Freedom of Information request by a member of the public has once again blown open the debate as to whether some applicants applying to Hartlepool Borough Council for housing are "leapfrogging" those already waiting for years to be housed..
The FOI request seen by the Teesside & Durham Post has revealed Hartlepool Borough Council outright refused to disclose just how many of its social housing properties have been allocated to refugees, citing crime prevention reasons under the Freedom of Information Act.
The request, submitted by a member of the public earlier this year, asked Hartlepool Borough Council to confirm The total number of council or social housing properties currently held by Hartlepool Borough Council, as well as how many of those properties have been allocated to refugee tenants.
In response, the council merely confirmed that it held 356 social housing properties , however, when it came to answering the second question — how many of these homes had been allocated to refugees — the council simply refused to provide the figure, claiming it was exempt under Section 31(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act.
Hartlepool Borough Council justified this exemption claiming the disclosure of the information “would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime.”, indicating that the local council has (at least in some part) admitted that a number of its homes have been allocated to refugees albeit without disclosing the exact number.
Allegations some applicants are "leapfrogging" others on the Housing Register...
This has led to concerns that the explanation behind the seemingly 'unusual' numbers of applicants on Hartlepool's Choice Based lettings Scheme waiting merely weeks before being housed into some of Hartlepool's newest build properties correlates with the assertion that applicants are "leapfrogging" locals on the housing register, leaving those on the waiting list being pushed ever further down the list.
According to the council, revealing the number of council homes occupied by refugee tenants could “provide an opportunity for criminal acts to be committed,” such as “criminal damage and offences against the person.” The council went on to say that releasing this data could make certain properties or individuals targets of hostility or violence.
In the summer of 2024, its claimed the publication of a list of Asylum Seeker & Refugee properties owned or managed by the Government was 'leaked', leading to a number of properties in Hartlepool being targeted in what was known as the Summer 2024 riots, an event which seen Hartlepool experience some of the worst nights of violent disorder in decades leading to a number of arrests & prosecutions.
How Refugees Access Social Housing
Under UK law, refugees and those granted humanitarian protection have the same rights to apply for social housing as British citizens. Once granted refugee status, they are no longer asylum seekers & are declared homeless when their temporary accommodation through the Home Office comes to an end, meaning they can register for housing through local councils or housing associations & are usually given top priority due to their impending homelessness status. .
Most local councils use the now widely discredited Choice-Based Lettings system to allocate properties, with applicants placed into bands depending on their circumstances — such as homelessness, medical need, or overcrowding. Refugees however have been found to qualify for higher priority status if they are classed as homeless or vulnerable, often following the closure of Home Office accommodation when their asylum support ends.
This has led to claims that many refugees are being 'fast-tracked' by some local councils for housing where they meet the statutory homelessness criteria, which has led to public concern that local residents waiting years on housing lists are being repeatedly overlooked. Critics argue that the system, though councils argue is "legally compliant", is creating the perception that newcomers are “jumping the queue”, especially when local families in long-term housing need remain without suitable accommodation.
Critics argue that Hartlepool Borough Councils decision raises serious questions about transparency and accountability. The request did not ask for the specific addresses, personal details, or even breakdowns by area — only for a total figure, with other councils across the UK answering similar FOI requests without issue, sometimes providing borough-wide numbers or estimates.
By refusing to disclose even the most basic figures, Hartlepool Borough Council has once again left local residents in the dark about how its supposedly 'limited' social housing stock is being allocated at a time when local families are spending years on waiting lists, and even when out-of-town placements and relocations from London councils are said to be putting additional strain on areas housing supply.
Public Interest vs. Public Secrecy
The council claimed there was “no overriding public interest” in releasing the data, stating that public interest was “best served by upholding the exemption.” But many will see this as yet another example of Hartlepool Borough Council’s increasing culture of secrecy, especially on sensitive housing matters.
Over recent months, residents have raised growing concerns about who is being prioritised for housing, especially int he wake of the Hartlepool Homesearch Corruption Scandal and why transparency around housing allocations is increasingly being withheld.
If the council is confident in its policies, then many are likely to ask: why not simply publish the figures?
