JRS UK's new report, examines the experiences of homelessness among people refused asylum in London in the context of the cost-of-living crisis and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This report tells the stories of many people forced to live like this. It doesn't have to be this way. The asylum system shouldn't make people homeless the way it has made me homeless. Things need to change."
Joyce
The systemic marginalisation of people without immigration status is the root cause of asylum destitution. The Hostile, or Compliant, Environment intentionally builds barriers to essentail services, bringing immigration enforcement into every sphere of life. It must end.
Restrictions on access to public funds bar people from basic safety nets on the basis of their immigration status. They are a key tool in manufacturing asylum destitution and should be abolished.
The ban on work for people seeking asylum consigns them to deep poverty and, when asylum support is cut off, destitution. It also marginalises them and makes it harder for them to take up work when their status is eventually resolved. Most people seeking asylum desperately want the opportunity to work and contribute to society.
In this report we heard the stories of people living in the UK long-term, but trapped into destitution by lack of immigration status. Consigning people to an indefinite limbo, vulnerable to exploitation, ill-health, and abuse is cruel, and destructive for society as a whole. The current 20-year route obliges people to wait decades before they can simply get on with their lives.
Rapid evictions from Home Office accommodation mean that newly recognised refugees routinely face homelessness. 28 days is simply not enough time to find somewhere else to work. A move on period of 56 days would bring Home Office policy in line with the Homelessness Reduction Act, which states that someone is at risk of homelessness if they face not having somewhere to live within 56 days.
The Illegal Migration Act threatens to extend asylum destitution and cut of all routes out of it. Already, the Nationality and Borders Act builds delays into the asylum process, leaving people vulnerable to destitution. Both Acts should be repealed.
Local government plays a vital role in ensuring a safety net for vulnerable people.
Our research shows how people refused asylum are often wary of approaching authorities for help. Data-sharing between local authorities and the Home Office is a huge barrier to peopel without immigration status seeking help from local authorities. It must be avoided.
Could you join the JRS UK hosting scheme offering destitute refugees respite accommodation?
The JRS ‘At Home’ scheme aims to match destitute asylum seekers with individuals, families, parishes and religious communities who are able and willing to offer accommodation for an agreed period, which is determined by guest and host need.
We need your help to raise awareness of what is going on in immigration detention. Click the links below to share the report on social media: