The UK’s broken asylum system

[glasgowcyclist]

Bringing the thread back on topic to asylum.

The government continues to make the system as hostile as possible for refugees granted permission to stay.

Instead of the previous minimum notice of 28 days for eviction (which itself was ridiculously short), the government is now giving only seven days’ notice. Seven days to seek and find alternative accommodation, sort out school, college, work or university and transport.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-homelessness-after-home-office-policy-change​

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Thousands of refugees and survivors of trafficking could find themselves homeless after a Home Office policy change, charities have warned.​

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Until last month, newly recognised refugees and survivors of trafficking had 28 days to find alternative accommodation after receiving a “notice to quit” before being evicted from Home Office accommodation they had lived in while officials were processing their claims – but this has now been reduced to a minimum of seven days.​

Charities had called on the government to extend the notice period for eviction to 56 days, arguing that 28 days did not give people long enough to find new accommodation, get a job or access benefits.​

​

While councils have an obligation to provide emergency accommodation to families with children, adults who do not have children may not be eligible for that support and are at risk of finding themselves homeless.​

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The Guardian spoke to one woman who is a survivor of trafficking and who has been granted leave to remain by the Home Office. She was living in a two-bedroom flat with her 13-year-old daughter, who she says is settled at school. While she welcomes the Home Office granting her leave to remain, she said: “I was shocked the Home Office only gave us seven days to find a new place to live. My hands are still shaking.”​

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“We started packing but we don’t know where we are going. We know council housing waiting lists are very long. Things were stable and now they are messed up. I haven’t been able to close my eyes and sleep since I got the eviction notice. My daughter has been crying and asking if she will still be able to go to school.​

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“I received the eviction notice on Monday last week and we were evicted [on Monday 14 August]. I just had to leave most of our belongings behind. We had to go to the council as homeless and the council didn’t tell us until 5pm [on Monday] that we were going to get any accommodation.​

​

“I received the eviction notice on Monday last week and we were evicted [on Monday 14 August]. I just had to leave most of our belongings behind. We had to go to the council as homeless and the council didn’t tell us until 5pm [on Monday] that we were going to get any accommodation.​

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“We are in a hotel room in the same area as the Home Office accommodation but if we get moved again my daughter might not be able to go back to the same school in September and I might not be able to continue with the university course I am doing. The Home Office took six years to make a decision about my case and then they evicted me within a week.”​

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The Tories really do enjoy punching down, don’t they?

 

[newfhouse]

The Tories really do enjoy punching down, don’t they?

Not extremists though.

 

[multitool]

Nonsense, look for example at Neelie Kroes who went to work for Uber after being very lenient on them when tasked with competition adn digital agenda in the eu. There are much more examples, but the bottom line is that that system you talk about simply doesn't work. it's like a already said an paperweight, voting mep doesn't really change anything.

I don't say it's the ideal instrument but if you want a answer to the question how come the UK vote leave you forst have to known who else would have voted leave if they where given the choice.(which was the question where is was responding to)

So a politician taking a job with a corporation means the entire EU system is failing does it?

 

[Pale Rider]

Bringing the thread back on topic to asylum.

The government continues to make the system as hostile as possible for refugees granted permission to stay.

Instead of the previous minimum notice of 28 days for eviction (which itself was ridiculously short), the government is now giving only seven days’ notice. Seven days to seek and find alternative accommodation, sort out school, college, work or university and transport.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-homelessness-after-home-office-policy-change​

​

Thousands of refugees and survivors of trafficking could find themselves homeless after a Home Office policy change, charities have warned.​

​

Until last month, newly recognised refugees and survivors of trafficking had 28 days to find alternative accommodation after receiving a “notice to quit” before being evicted from Home Office accommodation they had lived in while officials were processing their claims – but this has now been reduced to a minimum of seven days.​

Charities had called on the government to extend the notice period for eviction to 56 days, arguing that 28 days did not give people long enough to find new accommodation, get a job or access benefits.​

​

While councils have an obligation to provide emergency accommodation to families with children, adults who do not have children may not be eligible for that support and are at risk of finding themselves homeless.​

​

The Guardian spoke to one woman who is a survivor of trafficking and who has been granted leave to remain by the Home Office. She was living in a two-bedroom flat with her 13-year-old daughter, who she says is settled at school. While she welcomes the Home Office granting her leave to remain, she said: “I was shocked the Home Office only gave us seven days to find a new place to live. My hands are still shaking.”​

​

“We started packing but we don’t know where we are going. We know council housing waiting lists are very long. Things were stable and now they are messed up. I haven’t been able to close my eyes and sleep since I got the eviction notice. My daughter has been crying and asking if she will still be able to go to school.​

​

“I received the eviction notice on Monday last week and we were evicted [on Monday 14 August]. I just had to leave most of our belongings behind. We had to go to the council as homeless and the council didn’t tell us until 5pm [on Monday] that we were going to get any accommodation.​

​

“I received the eviction notice on Monday last week and we were evicted [on Monday 14 August]. I just had to leave most of our belongings behind. We had to go to the council as homeless and the council didn’t tell us until 5pm [on Monday] that we were going to get any accommodation.​

​

“We are in a hotel room in the same area as the Home Office accommodation but if we get moved again my daughter might not be able to go back to the same school in September and I might not be able to continue with the university course I am doing. The Home Office took six years to make a decision about my case and then they evicted me within a week.”​

​

​

The Tories really do enjoy punching down, don’t they?

Good of you, in the interests of imbalance, to leave out the Home Office's response:

A Home Office spokesperson said: “ Our policy has not changed, an asylum seeker remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their claim.
“This is clearly communicated to the individual in writing. We encourage individuals to make their onward plans as soon as possible after receiving their decision, whether that is leaving the UK following a refusal, or taking steps to integrate in the UK following a grant.”

Make of that what you will, but it does appear not much has changed.

The asylum applicant has to leave their asylum seeker accommodation swiftly after they have their decision.

Seems to me this lass has not done too badly, six years of living all found, free education for her child and a place at university for her.

What nasty, horrid government gave her all that?

Neither does it seems as if much will change for her.

Some disruption in terms of a change of address, but the rest of her life will continue as normal in terms of state support.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Good of you, in the interests of imbalance, to leave out the Home Office's response:

A Home Office spokesperson said: “ Our policy has not changed, an asylum seeker remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their claim.
“This is clearly communicated to the individual in writing. We encourage individuals to make their onward plans as soon as possible after receiving their decision, whether that is leaving the UK following a refusal, or taking steps to integrate in the UK following a grant.”

Make of that what you will, but it does appear not much has changed.

The asylum applicant has to leave their asylum seeker accommodation swiftly after they have their decision.

Seems to me this lass has not done too badly, six years of living all found, free education for her child and a place at university for her.

What nasty, horrid government gave her all that?

Neither does it seems as if much will change for her.

Some disruption in terms of a change of address, but the rest of her life will continue as normal in terms of state support.

My mistake. I thought you could understand the difference between 28 and 7 days’ notice.

The government has taken six years to decide on her case. During that time she will not have been allowed to earn any money to support herself and her daughter. So she accepts what limited benefits are available, including education. They may have been in a hotel room for much of their time here, the article doesn’t say when she took tenancy of the flat.

But then, all of a sudden, the government grants her leave to remain and hands her a seven day eviction notice at the same time.

Could you make all the necessary arrangements for that inside seven days?
Could you navigate through the benefits system*, in seven days?
Find another place to stay and maybe even another school for your child, in seven days?

Any one of those tasks would take you at least that long, never mind all of them together.


* (Remember, she only gets access to public funds after her application for asylum is granted.)

 

[BoldonLad]

My mistake. I thought you could understand the difference between 28 and 7 days’ notice.

The government has taken six years to decide on her case. During that time she will not have been allowed to earn any money to support herself and her daughter. So she accepts what limited benefits are available, including education. They may have been in a hotel room for much of their time here, the article doesn’t say when she took tenancy of the flat.

But then, all of a sudden, the government grants her leave to remain and hands her a seven day eviction notice at the same time.

Could you make all the necessary arrangements for that inside seven days?
Could you navigate through the benefits system*, in seven days?
Find another place to stay and maybe even another school for your child, in seven days?

Any one of those tasks would take you at least that long, never mind all of them together.


* (Remember, she only gets access to public funds after her application for asylum is granted.)

Without minimising the problem, if she has been here for 6 years, it seems reasonable to think that she may have learned a thing or two about how the benefits systems works, how housing applications work etc etc, even if she herself has not had to/been eligible to apply for those things.

 

[Pale Rider]

My mistake. I thought you could understand the difference between 28 and 7 days’ notice.

The government has taken six years to decide on her case. During that time she will not have been allowed to earn any money to support herself and her daughter. So she accepts what limited benefits are available, including education. They may have been in a hotel room for much of their time here, the article doesn’t say when she took tenancy of the flat.

But then, all of a sudden, the government grants her leave to remain and hands her a seven day eviction notice at the same time.

Could you make all the necessary arrangements for that inside seven days?
Could you navigate through the benefits system*, in seven days?
Find another place to stay and maybe even another school for your child, in seven days?

Any one of those tasks would take you at least that long, never mind all of them together.


* (Remember, she only gets access to public funds after her application for asylum is granted.)

I agree six years for a decision should have been six months, but other than that she's been treated reasonably well, arguably generously.

The child's education is a red herring, yes, the child might have had to change schools (so what, anyway), but in reality no change was required.

All the parent had to do was remember to inform the school of a change of address on the first day of term.

I know you, and all those who put their stamp of approval on your post, are desperate to believe what a dreadful government we have.

In this case all you, and those others, have done is make yourselves look rather stupid.

The story shows the opposite of what you want you want it to, but you are too blinded by your fixed view to see it.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Rabitry. Can't be said often enough. Rabitry.

 

[Julia9054]

The story shows the opposite of what you want you want it to

Not sure how you have come to this conclusion.
The story shows that the notice period has been changed from 28 days to 7 days. Charities and most people commenting here think that this is unreasonably short. Anyone negotiating the current rental market would know that it is nigh on impossible to sort out a new place to live in 7 days meaning that - as in this example - people granted leave to remain have to declare themselves homeless and be housed in hotel/hostel accommodation by their local council. If you ignore the effect on the individual, this is an additional burden on council resources and on the tax payer

 

[Bromptonaut]

I agree six years for a decision should have been six months, but other than that she's been treated reasonably well, arguably generously.

The child's education is a red herring, yes, the child might have had to change schools (so what, anyway), but in reality no change was required.

All the parent had to do was remember to inform the school of a change of address on the first day of term.

I know you, and all those who put their stamp of approval on your post, are desperate to believe what a dreadful government we have.

In this case all you, and those others, have done is make yourselves look rather stupid.

The story shows the opposite of what you want you want it to, but you are too blinded by your fixed view to see it.

Six years is absurd. Even if the case went all the way to the Supreme Court it's still absurd.

For a child of 13/14 education is anything but a red herring. A move from a stable school where she's with kids she went through primary with to somewhere totally different with different course materials is not, however you paint it, inconsequential.

I suspect for once this may not be performative but rather intended to get Councils to actually perform their statutory duties and house people promptly. In the eyes of most you're not homeless until the bailiff has been and I suspect the same line has been taken when there's an obligation to house people given leave to remain as refugees.

 

[Pale Rider]

Not sure how you have come to this conclusion.
The story shows that the notice period has been changed from 28 days to 7 days. Charities and most people commenting here think that this is unreasonably short. Anyone negotiating the current rental market would know that it is nigh on impossible to sort out a new place to live in 7 days meaning that - as in this example - people granted leave to remain have to declare themselves homeless and be housed in hotel/hostel accommodation by their local council. If you ignore the effect on the individual, this is an additional burden on council resources and on the tax payer

The Home Office says:

"Our policy has not changed, an asylum seeker remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their claim."

So whatever the notice period, support continues.

The six years is way too long, but this woman has been supported throughout that period, including education for her and her children, and that support carries on.

One move on the hurry up, given it was prompted by the result she wants, is neither here nor there.

For a child of 13/14 education is anything but a red herring. A move from a stable school where she's with kids she went through primary with to somewhere totally different with different course materials is not, however you paint it, inconsequential.

Ifs and buts.

What part of 'the child did not have to move school' do you not understand.

Your remarks about councils and their responsibility to the homeless may have something in them.

Whatever, the woman and her child remain fully supported by the state either through local or national taxation.

Free food, free board, and free education, oh, and free healthcare if needed, for years on end - sounds generous to me.

What more should we, reasonably, be doing?

 

[Bromptonaut]

Free food, free board, and free education, oh, and free healthcare if needed, for years on end - sounds generous to me.

What more should we, reasonably, be doing?

The amount Asylum Seekers have to live on whilst in home office accommodation ain't generous. If you don't want to take my word look it up.

Neither is the provision now she has leave to remain. Do you know about private lets and Local Housing Allowance?

As to this case and the daughter's education it seems she's been found temp housing in the same area. That's not guaranteed. PLeanty of people from London are farmed out to places miles away.

If the D has to move school then she has to move school. But as somebody who did that mid primary years with working parents and comfortably well off I can tell you it f*cks you up....

 

[Bromptonaut]

"Our policy has not changed, an asylum seeker remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their claim."

A politicians answer; fast and loose.

If you used to get 28 days to get your sh*t together and you've now a lot less then something has changed.

 

[Pale Rider]

The amount Asylum Seekers have to live on whilst in home office accommodation ain't generous. If you don't want to take my word look it up.

Neither is the provision now she has leave to remain. Do you know about private lets and Local Housing Allowance?

As to this case and the daughter's education it seems she's been found temp housing in the same area. That's not guaranteed. PLeanty of people from London are farmed out to places miles away.

If the D has to move school then she has to move school. But as somebody who did that mid primary years with working parents and comfortably well off I can tell you it f*cks you up....

You misunderstand my use of the term generous.

The generous bit is supporting a woman and her child for years on end, even if that support is basic.

Unless you believe she should have been presented with the freehold to a three-bedroom semi and given £500 a week to live on.

Saying we don't keep asylum seekers in clover is not much of an argument.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Saying we don't keep asylum seekers in clover is not much of an argument.

If you think we keep them anywhere near the clover you need a serious head wobble.