Hundreds of asylum seekers in Wigan in limbo awaiting decisions

The Liberal Democrats have criticised the Government’s “appalling and unacceptable” system for leaving vulnerable people in limbo for many months, after the numbers waiting for an asylum decision hit a record high across the UK.

A Wigan organisation supporting asylum seekers and refugees said the entire system had simply ground to a halt since the beginning of lockdown.

People with ongoing claims for asylum receive financial assistance and accommodation through what is known as Section 95 support, as do those whose application was unsuccessful, but who had children in their household at the time.

Home Office figures show 873 people were receiving Section 95 support in Wigan at the end of June – 3% more than at the end of March.

Across the UK, a record 45,769 people were getting support – 50% more than five years previously.

Separate figures from the Home Office show the vast majority (72%) of applicants waiting for a decision at the end of June had waited more than six months, compared to just 54% the year before.

Applicants are prevented from claiming welfare benefits – and in most cases from working – while waiting for a decision.

Those receiving Section 95 support are given accommodation, typically in hostels or shared flats, access to healthcare, education for children under 18, and £5.66 per day in aid.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new dedicated unit to speed up asylum decisions and want to lift the ban on asylum seekers working, boosting applicants’ income and giving them the chance to contribute to the economy.

Christine Jardine, an MP and the party’s Home Affairs spokeswoman, said: “We should welcome people who’ve come to the UK fleeing war or persecution with compassion and enable them to contribute to our society, not keep them trapped for months on just £5.66 a day – especially now during this pandemic.

“The way the Home Office is treating these vulnerable people is appalling and unacceptable.

“It is leaving thousands of asylum seekers waiting many months for a decision, preventing them from working, renting a home or supporting their families.”

Paul Hook, director of campaign group Asylum Matters, said: “The Government must provide faster and more accurate decisions on asylum claims; ensure asylum support rates allow people to meet their essential living needs; and lift the ban to restore the right to work to people while they wait for a decision on their claim.”

In Wigan, 865 people were being provided with accommodation at the end of June, while eight applicants were receiving financial assistance only, having found their own place to live.

Though a local breakdown of where these people fled from is not available, the most common nationality in the North West was Iraqi, with 1,637 receiving support.

The North West was home to 10,083 asylum seekers in total – the highest of all 12 UK regions.

The Support for Wigan Arrivals Project (Swap), which helps asylum seekers in the town, said that before the coronavirus pandemic hit there had been some evidence of the Home Office getting its act together after years of complaints about the system.

Project co-ordinator Mick Taylor acknowledged that numbers of asylum seekers in the borough have been high for some time, but also pointed out the possible downsides of scattering people across the country.

He also said Covid-19 had affected where asylum seekers were staying and this perhaps had a bearing on the numbers.

Mr Taylor said: “Up until Covid we had been witnessing an increase in the speed of decision making and a massive increase in the number of positive decisions.

“We even had positive decisions for some people who have been here a long time and who we had thought might be stuck in the system indefinitely.

“However, since Covid the Home Office has stopped almost all asylum processes, because they need to meet people.

“One of the reasons things are on hold is that they don’t want asylum seekers moving around, especially during lockdown. People who were given positive decisions don’t have to leave their asylum properties, they can stay where they are.

“We’re expecting this to change and this could put pressure on local authority housing and the private sector.

“Wigan has been doing more than its fair share for a good while and it would be good to see other areas doing their bit a bit more.

“However, if asylum seekers went to other parts of the North West they wouldn’t get the same quality of provision we have to support them in Wigan. We had people living in Coppull and Adlington coming to our English classes because there was nothing for them in Chorley.

“Rather than reinventing the wheel elsewhere, why not tap into what is already there? We could just do with more money in the long term.”

The Home Office prevents asylum seekers from working unless their claim has been outstanding for 12 months through no fault of their own, and restricts them to jobs in which the UK has a shortage of workers.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “We are dealing with sustained high levels of new asylum applications which is creating pressure and the impact of Covid-19 has significantly impacted on our ability to progress asylum claims.

“As restrictions are lifted we are getting the system moving once again and we have plans in place to improve the speed with which outstanding asylum claims are decided.”