“Deliberate” Destitution

Last week was Scottish Refugee Week and I wasn’t able to get to as many of the events taking place as I would have liked to. One that I made sure to attend was the Positive Action in Housing Sleepout.

The Sleepout now in its second year is an event to highlight growing concerns about the number of destitute asylum seekers now on our city streets. I was asked to say a few words by the organisers and I want to thank them for organising this event and for the unbelievable work they do to support asylum seekers in Glasgow.

It was an eye opening experience to meet and hear from some of those forced to live rough on our streets.

But how has this situation come about…

When an asylum seeker arrives in the country, they must make a claim for asylum (aka protection). While waiting for their claim to be accepted or rejected they are not allowed to work or claim benefits. Instead they are supported by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).

I use the word supported very loosely, they are given money but it’s less than the most basic level in income support, they are given a house but its in the most hard to let areas, nearly always a high rise tower block. And that’s about it in terms of official support.

Eventually their claim for asylum will be decided, if it’s a negative decision then they are given 10 days to appeal, if they do not appeal on time or if there appeal is unsuccessful the support from the NASS stops and they will be evicted from their homes.

The Government will argue that no one needs to be destitute as they can claim ‘Section 4 Support’. This means they sign an agreement to “voluntary return” to their country of origin. ‘Section 4 Support’ also means they will be given accommodation on a “no choice basis” often sharing a bedroom with someone they don’t know, in housing that falls below nationally agreed standards. They receive just £35 a week in vouchers to support themselves and their families.

As you can imagine not many people who have fled their home country in fear of their life are very keen to claim section 4 support so become destitute instead.

A recent House of Commons Joint Committee on Human Rights labeled this system “stigmatising, inhumane and inefficient” they also declared that “the Government is practicing a policy of deliberate destitution…We believe that the deliberate use of inhumane treatment against asylum seekers in unacceptable and falls below the requirements of the common law of humanity and of international human rights law”.

How has it gotten to this point? How has it become acceptable for the elderly, the ill, pregnant woman and young children to be left on our city streets?

Why isn’t the media reporting about this “deliberate” Government policy? And where is the humanity from our politicians? How can we take them seriously about human rights abuses in China, Israel, Zimbabwe or elsewhere when there is evidence of human rights violations in our own cities!