At Refugee Support we believe that a life with dignity is a basic human right. Our goal is to create a more compassionate approach to the ways we, as a society, receive and support people seeking safety and a better life.
1. Give people the opportunity to live somewhere they can be safe and independent
- If refugees are given the opportunity to integrate into local communities they can help build the local economy, enrich our lives and support an ageing population
- People should not be detained in inhumane conditions
- The vast amounts spent on maintaining a hostile environment could provide safe and independent accommodation
2. Allow asylum seekers to work as soon as they arrive
- They will be able to support themselves and add £333 million p/a to the UK economy
- People receive less than £7 a day while they are waiting for a decision
- The UK has labour shortages and keeping people in hotels is very costly
- 81% of the UK population supports lifting the ban on asylum seekers working
3. Uphold international law and allow asylum seekers to remain in the UK while their claim is assessed
- Claiming asylum is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law
- It is not possible to apply for asylum without being physically present in the country and there is no visa that allows someone to travel to the UK for the purpose of claiming asylum
- Over the last year, three-quarters of asylum claims were successful, and almost half of appeals are successful
4. Hear all asylum claims humanely and fairly
- People seeking asylum have often been traumatised so any process needs to treat them with understanding and easy access to legal advice.
- Uncaring immigration processes can re-traumatise people
- It is not necessary for many people from some countries (e.g. South Sudan) to be assessed individually
5. Process all asylum claims swiftly
- This will save the country money and people can start to rebuild their lives
- There is a backlog of 170,000 people waiting for a decision, up from 110,000 a year ago
- Three-quarters have been waiting more than six months, damaging their mental health and costing the country money
6. Stop the boats by creating safe and accessible ways for people to apply for asylum
- No-one wants people making dangerous journeys
- At the end of 2022, 108.4 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced: one in 74 of all people
- 76% of refugees are hosted in low and middle income countries
- The UK has a relatively low number of asylum applications
