Not gone but forgotten

The Red Cross report Not gone, but forgotten published in June 2010 reveals the appalling hardships faced by destitute failed asylum seekers and the urgent need for a more humane asylum system. The Red Cross report suggests four key policy chances to the asylum system which would improve the humanitarian situation of refused asylum seekers:

 

·         The adoption of the principle that destitution should not be an outcome of the asylum system.

·         The provision of support for all destitute refused asylum seekers with dependent children.

·         An end-to-end asylum support structure including permission to work, until the applicant is either removed or granted leave to remain.

·         An entitlement to healthcare throughout the asylum process.

 

Once an asylum application is refused and all appeal rights have been exhausted, support for asylum seekers is withdrawn after 21 days. Those who are unable to return immediately to their country of origin are entitled to limited Section 4 support, which consists of accommodation and £35 per week. However, the fear of being returned home prevents many asylum seekers from submitting applications, which require them to demonstrate they are taking steps to return home.

 

A Joseph Rowntree inquiry into destitution amongst asylum seekers in Leeds corroborates the Red Cross’ findings. The report, published in 2009, states that 33% of failed asylum seekers are destitute due to delays in receiving Section 4 support, and 14% because they had not made an application. A further 26% were destitute because they had reached the end of the process and could no longer claim section 4.

 

Aatifa, who fled Eritrea after being detained and tortured for two months due to her evangelical Christian beliefs, found herself destitute for over a year in the UK following the refusal of her asylum application. She survived on a £10 weekly food voucher from the British Red Cross and £5 per week from a friend. She sometimes slept on the floor of a friend’s house and sometimes at a local church. After intervention by the Red Cross she is now receiving Section 4 support.

 

The theme of destitution has been picked up by the broadsheets. For example, a recent article in The Guardian reported on the hardship faced by those who continue to live on just £10 per week. Abdi from Somalia, whose case is currently under review, alternates between a mosque, an alleyway and a stairway, sleeping rough each night. Despite the destitution he faces, Abdi has decided to stay in the UK saying, "if you understand that it is a choice between living here in this way and going back to be slaughtered, then you understand that there is no choice."

 

The Red Cross and Joseph Rowntree reports make it clear that destitution is a reality for many asylum seekers that will persist unless the entire system is overhauled.