Leicester Asylum Seekers and Refugees Voluntary Sector Forum surveyed 168 destitute asylum seekers between January 17th and February 18th 2005, and found that one in five had slept rough. Thirty-seven per cent were highly vulnerable and had poor health and personal circumstances.

A Report of Destitution in the Asylum system in Leicester, which has been commissioned by the Leicester Forum and co-ordinated by the national charity Refugee Action, is being launched today (Tuesday June 21st) as part of National Refugee Week.

The forum is making a number of recommendations to government policy-makers and the voluntary and community sector in Leicester to try to tackle this crisis.

The report shows that the reason most (70%) asylum seekers had become destitute was because their claims for asylum had been fully refused, or they had not been able to continue their claim. The remainder were destitute for a number of reasons including that they had not yet entered the asylum support system or that there had been administrative errors with their support.

The clients were asked where they had slept the previous night. Thirty two had slept rough. Other people were stopping with faith groups, friends and families.

Thirty people who were interviewed had dependents.

The forum has identified a number of reasons for the rising problem. One major reason has been recent cuts in legal aid, which has been slashed to five hours for asylum cases. This has caused many solicitors to withdraw from immigration work and has meant that many asylum seekers can’t get representation.

Once an asylum claim has failed or an asylum seeker is unable to continue their case, most asylum seekers are only allowed to access food and housing if they agree to return to their country of origin. Many say they are too afraid to return or have not had a fair hearing and so they are forced into destitution.

Piers Flavin, deputy manager of asylum advice in Refugee Action Leicester, collated the report. He said: “Voluntary sector organisations across the city have seen an increasing number of destitute people over the past two years due to increasingly tough government legislation, and we felt we had to investigate and respond to this. Many of these clients are extremely desperate and are frightened to return to their country of origin, fearing they will be persecuted. At the same time they are not allowed to work in the UK and are denied any support.

“It seems that destitution is becoming a method used by the government to dissuade refugees from ever claiming asylum in the UK and as a coercive mechanism to force people to leave the country. We want to see an overhaul of the decision-making system so that asylum seekers do not have to fight lengthy legal battles to get a fair and full hearing. Asylum seekers deserve proper legal representation. Rejected clients should then be supported or be allowed to work until it is safe for them to return to their country of origin.”

Gill Jackson, director of the Leicester Diocesan Board of Social Responsibility said: “This piece of work highlights the need to address deficiencies in the current system relating to asylum seekers and refugees. It is totally unacceptable that in the 21st century we have in Leicester people who have no homes, no money and are not allowed to work.”

Rachel Carmichael, chair of the Leicester Forum said: “This report is a challenge to us all. It tells us how our system treats those who have been subject to unspeakable horrors, and who have been forced to flee persecution in their own lands. We need to acknowledge the injustices, do anything we can to change the system, and offer voluntary help or gifts to the projects who took part in the survey.”

As well as recommendations to policy-makers, the forum is also recommending that services in Leicester work to provide high quality, accurate and joined-up advice to clients and that projects are set up in the future to support destitute people.

The launch of the report will take place at the British Red Cross Offices at 244 London Road, Leicester from 9.30am. Refugee Action is organising the media launch on behalf of the Forum. To organise an interview or photographs please call Julia Ravenscroft, press officer at Refugee Action, on 0161 233 1956 or alternatively Gill Jackson (Leicester Diocese) on 0116 2487404.

Notes to editors:

The Home Affairs Select Committee, reporting on the welfare of non-returnable asylum seekers in January 2004, stated: "It is absurd to refuse leave to remain to people who, for whatever reason, cannot be removed. We recommend that such people be granted a temporary status which will allow them to support themselves." Noting that since the phasing out of ELR in April 2003 the Home Office has granted temporary leave much more sparingly, the Committee also called for a Government investigation into “the numbers involved, the adequacy of existing support, the extent to which the voluntary sector is involved in providing support, and the feasibility and desirability of providing such people either with full NASS support or the right to work.”

Asylum applications to the UK have fallen by 68 per cent since October 2002. (The Labour Party ‘Asylum and Immigration’)

Leicester Voluntary Sector Forum is made up of more than 30 registered community organizations, faith groups, voluntary groups and charities. It works together to meet the needs of asylum seekers and refugees, to campaign for resources, policies and procedures and to raise awareness and promote a positive perception of asylum seekers and refugees in Leicester. The six key organisations that planned and carried out the survey were Refugee Action, The British Red Cross, Leicester Aids Support Services, Toc H, Refugee and Asylum Seeker Advice Project and Leicester Welcome Project.

Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives in the UK. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and long-term commitment to their settlement through community development work. As one of the country’s leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 23 years’ experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees.