Refugee living in Wales says ‘every part’ of the asylum process is made ‘harder’ than it should be
A Syrian refugee living in Cardiff who was recently granted asylum status says "every part’ of the process" is made "harder" than it should be.
The UK Government says it’s ‘working with local authorities to manage the impact of asylum decisions.’
Speaking to ITV News Wales, Gareth Lynn Montes, the Housing Policy and Research Lead at the WRC, said that current arrangements set by the Home Office make it ‘difficult’ for newly granted refugees to secure housing and employment within the given time frame.
According to a Home Office spokesperson, once a newly recognised refugee is issued a biometric residence permit (BRP) - the right to live and work in the UK, they get 28 days to move on from asylum accommodation.
Referring to issues regarding the BRP, Mr Lynn Montes said: “If there is any problem with acquiring that card, the 28 days often ends up being shorter and can lead to a refugee becoming homeless.”
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This was a real concern for a Syrian refugee who wished to remain anonymous.
Following a 2 year process from the point of applying for asylum to receiving asylum status, he said: “The Home Office sent my BRP to my old solicitor without telling me, which left me confused.”
He was then served a 12-day eviction notice in which to find employment and accommodation. “They are giving different notices to each person - some of them one week, 10 days, 17 days. They are making a big mistake.”
He went on to say: “It's not enough time for anyone in this country to find a flat, let alone have your full life in order.”
He described the 2 years as ‘difficult’ due to waiting for one decision to start his life, and that ‘every part’ of the asylum-seeking process was made ‘harder’ than it should have been.
He has since found full-time employment and accommodation living in Cardiff.
Backlog
In December 2022, Rishi Sunak said the UK Government was committed to ‘abolishing’ the legacy backlog of claims by the end of 2023.
The Home Office recently announced that 112,138 decisions on asylum were made between the 1st of January and the 31st of December 2023, a 253% increase from the year before.
Mr Lynn Montes described the issue of dealing with the backlog at such a rate as ‘exponential’ for both charities and local authorities, citing that the number of people being supported by the WRC has quadrupled since April this year, from around 40 people to 170.
A WLGA spokesperson said it “shares the concerns recently expressed by the Local Government Association (LGA) about the pace and scale of decisions being made by the Home Office in relation to asylum applications.”
They added that “any families at risk of homelessness in Wales will be dealt with via the normal local authority homelessness policies.”
Calls to improve
Mr Lynn Montes said he was pleased to see eviction notices banned by the Home Office over Christmas.
He also called for the UK Government to improve its processes: “There is a need for a system in which we treat people with dignity and respect and one that does not place asylum on temporary accommodation on barges”.
The Bibby Stockholm Barge has recently been criticised again by human rights campaigners following a suspected suicide of an Albanian National last month.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Support is available through Migrant Help and their partners, which includes advice on how to access Universal Credit, the labour market and where to get assistance with housing.
“We are working with local authorities to manage the impact of asylum decisions as the legacy backlog reduces.”
Although immigration policy is not devolved to the Welsh Government, Mr Lynn Montes said that “a lot can be done in Wales”, citing the publication of a Nation of Sanctuary Plan due this year as an opportunity to make a ‘real difference’ to people’s lives.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We have repeatedly called upon the UK Government to extend the ‘move on’ period to at least 56 days to prevent the risk of homelessness for those recognised as fleeing a well-founded fear.
“This would support our ambition of becoming a nation of sanctuary by giving parity of support to refugees.”
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