UK ASYLUM SEEKERS IN TROUBLE
A report discovers disturbingly low levels of asylum support pushing migrants to live below the poverty line
Furthermore, the Report discovers large number of asylum seekers don’t have enough money for food
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Asylum Matters is an advocacy and campaigns project that works to enhance the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK, issued a report on the truth of life on asylum support.
You can find the the 13-page report in the here.
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The limit of asylum support was increased to £39.60 a week during the Coronavirus pandemic, up from £37.75. After an evaluation by the UK Home Office, it was increased in October 2020 to £39.63, an increase of just 3p a week.
Furthermore asylum Matters mentioned in its report: “UK Asylum support limits are disturbingly low at £39.63 per person per week or £5.66 a day, obliging migrants to live below the poverty line for months, or even years at a time. This adversely influences on their health, wellbeing and above-all overwhelming effect on their children.”
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Asylum Matters analysed migrants in the asylum system for the report and organisations providing support to migrants in the asylum system. A total of 184 people answered the survey.
The main results from the report are as follows:
- 92% of asylum seekers mentioned they did not have sufficient money to buy all they need;
- 84% said they don’t always have sufficient money to buy food;
- 63% of migrants mentioned that they could not always have enough money for the medicines they needed;
- Only 1 in 4 people mentioned they could pay for essential cleaning products;
- 95% of people specified they could not afford to travel by public transport;
- Only 1 in 10 people could have the funds for data and phone credit they required;
- Latest opinion polling discovered 64% of people thought the amount people got was too little.
Among the report’s proposals, Asylum Matters demands the Home Office to increase limits of asylum support to let migrants and their families meet their vital living needs.
Furthermore, Asylum Matters mentions that asylum seekers should have the right to work after six months of waiting for a judgement on their asylum claim.
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After the increase of 3p a week in asylum support, Home Office spokesperson mentioned that: “We responded rapidly and conclusively previously this year to view after asylum seekers’ welfare during the Coronavirus pandemic by boosting the level of asylum support to make sure important needs are provided for. The home office is fixing the broken asylum system and announcing a new one very soon which is strong and non-discriminatory.”