Wednesday, December 02, 2020
Home Office faces legal action over asylum seeker payments
The Guardian reports that the Home Office is still failing to provide thousands of asylum seekers in emergency hotel accommodation with basic cash support and essentials more than a month after being instructed by the high court to fulfil their legal requirements to do so:
In October, law firm Duncan Lewis challenged the government’s failure to provide adequate asylum support in the high court. The judge, Sir Duncan Ouseley, said asylum seekers in emergency accommodation should have been receiving financial support during the pandemic, and ordered the department to increase weekly cash assistance from £5 to £8 to cover essentials, such as soap, medicine, bus fares and phone credit.
Following the ruling, immigration minister Chris Philp said payments of £3 a week for clothing should be backdated to March, and payments of £4.70 a week for travel should be backdated to July.
Yet Duncan Lewis says that so far the Home Office has failed to provide support in line with this concession, or to backdate payments, and are preparing to issue further urgent proceedings against the department this week.
“It has been a month since the Home Office announced the decision, and none of our clients have received the increase in cash support and no arrangements have been put in place to obtain back payments,” said Primisha Chudasama, a solicitor for Duncan Lewis.
“Many clients have faced a significant deterioration in their mental health and sense of self-worth, particularly as they are constantly worrying about how they are going to meet their essential living needs,” she said. “Often, clients have had to choose between phone credit … and buying warm clothing for the winter months, or using public transport to attend important appointments.”
Duncan Lewis says one of their clients, an asylum seeker living in accommodation run by Serco, was subjected to verbal abuse when he asked for the full £8 support.
Javier*, who has lived in a hotel in Derby for the past six months, said: “They started yelling at me and intimidating me, saying ‘Do you think you’re special? Everyone receives £5 – it’s not different for you
He said: “I don’t think I’m special, but I know that we should be getting more help. It made me feel really humiliated.”
He said he and others on full-board accommodation receive one sample size shampoo and body wash a week, and two rolls of toilet paper. All other essentials must be bought from the rest of the £5 weekly stipend.
Yet another example of this government's hostile environment, directed even against those fleeing persecution, famine and war.
In October, law firm Duncan Lewis challenged the government’s failure to provide adequate asylum support in the high court. The judge, Sir Duncan Ouseley, said asylum seekers in emergency accommodation should have been receiving financial support during the pandemic, and ordered the department to increase weekly cash assistance from £5 to £8 to cover essentials, such as soap, medicine, bus fares and phone credit.
Following the ruling, immigration minister Chris Philp said payments of £3 a week for clothing should be backdated to March, and payments of £4.70 a week for travel should be backdated to July.
Yet Duncan Lewis says that so far the Home Office has failed to provide support in line with this concession, or to backdate payments, and are preparing to issue further urgent proceedings against the department this week.
“It has been a month since the Home Office announced the decision, and none of our clients have received the increase in cash support and no arrangements have been put in place to obtain back payments,” said Primisha Chudasama, a solicitor for Duncan Lewis.
“Many clients have faced a significant deterioration in their mental health and sense of self-worth, particularly as they are constantly worrying about how they are going to meet their essential living needs,” she said. “Often, clients have had to choose between phone credit … and buying warm clothing for the winter months, or using public transport to attend important appointments.”
Duncan Lewis says one of their clients, an asylum seeker living in accommodation run by Serco, was subjected to verbal abuse when he asked for the full £8 support.
Javier*, who has lived in a hotel in Derby for the past six months, said: “They started yelling at me and intimidating me, saying ‘Do you think you’re special? Everyone receives £5 – it’s not different for you
He said: “I don’t think I’m special, but I know that we should be getting more help. It made me feel really humiliated.”
He said he and others on full-board accommodation receive one sample size shampoo and body wash a week, and two rolls of toilet paper. All other essentials must be bought from the rest of the £5 weekly stipend.
Yet another example of this government's hostile environment, directed even against those fleeing persecution, famine and war.
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It is time it was splashed over all internet sights Out of site is out of mind and situation gets worse ESPECIALLY if Serco and other profit motivated companies are in control
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