Eleven pioneering housing organisations have helped to develop vital new guidance on housing services to refugees and new migrants through the two-year 'Opening Doors' project.

The guidance, which is launched nationally this week, was developed by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and hact (the Housing Associations' Charitable Trust).

Front-line housing advice officers have a duty to help refugees granted leave to stay and other new migrants, but the legal situation and the options for finding them a home are complex. A new bank of guidance and reference materials is now available to housing associations and local councils to help them improve their service in this field.

The guidance includes information on how people enter Britain , their legal status and entitlements, how to assess housing need and what other sources of assistance housing authorities can link into.

http://www.24dash.com/news/Housing/2009-08-05-New-guidance-to-help-improve-housing-services-for-refugees-and-migrants