Destitute and in Danger: people made homeless by the asylum system
Destitute and in Danger, 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.
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"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
KEY FINDINGS
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- Rough sleeping is common among people refused asylum. There is widespread vulnerability to street homelessness and fear of it – even among people who have not experienced it;
- Couch-surfing typically entails very little control over your daily life or activities;
- People generally have no choice over where they stay and have to accept whatever accommodation is available. Consequently, they are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation;
- Home Office accommodation itself is very poor, and often feels physically unsafe;
- Destitution both has a negative impact on physical health and makes it very difficult to manage long-term health conditions;
- Long-term destitution in the context of asylum is very detrimental to mental health. Respondents reported anxiety, chronic sleep deprivation, and suicidal ideation;
- The experience of asylum destitution has a profound overall impact on sense of self. It marginalises people and denis them privacy, stability, and dignity. Consequently, it is dehumanising.
“In the last years I have stayed in 15 or 16 places, and I have slept on the streets. Homelessness made me lose my self-esteem and confidence. When you don’t have a place to lay your head, then you cannot think straight.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
For national government
1. End the Hostile/Compliant Environment
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.
2. End no recourse to public funds rules and ensure people refused asylum can access support where they need it
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.
3. Lift the Ban on work: allow people seeking asylum to work for as long as they are in the UK
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.
4. Create a simplified route to settled status for everyone who has made the UK their home and is living here long-term
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.
5. Extend the move-on period for newly recognised refugees to at least 56 days from when residence permits are received
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.
6. Repeal the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and the nationality and Borders Act 2022
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.
For local government
7. Widen eligiblity for homelessness support services to include those without recourse to public funds as far as possible
Local government plays a vital role in ensuring a safety net for vulnerable people.
8. Ensure robust data protection policies, and clear communication to people seeking support about how their data will be used
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.
TAKE ACTION
Sign up to Host
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.
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