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A decAde o destitution:time to mAke A chAnge
Working in partnership to assist asylum seekers in Greater Manchester
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the asylum seekers and reugees who
took part in the research; or their willingness to gie their time
and share their experiences. We are ery grateul to all the sta
and olunteers at the agencies who participated in the surey.
Thank you to all the agencies that hae supported the production
o this report. Particular thanks go to Rebecca Ehata or
conducting the one-to-one interiews and writing the case
studies and to Estelle Worthington rom the Regional Asylum
Actiism Project and Dae Smith rom Boaz Trust or contributingto the introduction and background sections o the report.
ia
Coer: Crispin Hughes/British Red Cross
Page 1: Jonathan Banks/British Red Cross
Page 4: Jonathan Banks/British Red Cross
Page 6: Paul Carter (UNP)/British Red Cross
Page 8: British Red Cross
Page 16: Jonathan Banks/British Red Cross
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 1
contents
contents
2 Foreword
3 Executive summary
4 Background destitution and the Greater Manchester response
8 Case studies
11 About the survey
12 Findings
16 Recommendations
19 Appendix
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2 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
In March 2003, the British Red Cross
and partner agency Mustard Treestarted working with destitute asylum
seekers in Greater Manchester.
The project was the rst o its
kind in the UK. The team helped
15 destitute asylum seekers in
its rst week and by August that
year 85 people were attending.
Unortunately, what was intended to be atemporary solution to a temporary problem
turned out to be the start o a long journey. That
journey has seen many agencies work together,
in challenging circumstances and with ery
limited nances, to support some o the most
ulnerable people in our community. Ten years
since the project started we are in the uneniable
position o marking a decade o destitution
among asylum seekers in Greater Manchester.
Indeed, this month we expect to see the 3,000th
destitute person ask us or help.
This report is the rst attempt to map destitution
among asylum seekers and reugees in Greater
Manchester. It makes depressing reading,
reealing that one in ten people using the
serice has been destitute or more than ten
years, and almost hal hae been destitute or
at least two years.
oRewoRd
This bleak picture is repeated in towns and cities
up and down the UK. As a result, this report isreleant not just to people and organisations in
and around Greater Manchester but across the
whole country. Despite the best eorts o
agencies such as ours, and the commitment
o our dedicated sta and olunteers there is a
humanitarian crisis on our doorstep that we all
need to ace.
Howeer, identiying problems is always the
rst step to soling them. In act, many o the
problems described here could be tackled
relatiely easily. At the end o the report we
propose recommendations that could helppreent destitution tackling the causes rather
than the symptoms. These include changes
at a local and national leel.
I hope you agree with me that ater a decade
o destitution in Greater Manchester we need
to work together to bring about much-needed
change.
n s-y
Head o reugee supportBritish Red Cross
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 3
For ten years the British Red Cross,
Boaz Trust and other agencieshae supported destitute reugees
and asylum seekers in Greater
Manchester through a unique
partnership. This report was written
ater sureying 150 o those people
about their day-to-day lies and
the reasons or their destitution.
t rvy y f :
> Most destitute asylum seekers are at
the end o the asylum process, and
a signicant amount are waiting or
emergency support to begin.
> Almost hal o those waiting or emergency
support in Greater Manchester hae
been destitute or at least two years,
and one in ten people hae been
destitute or more than a decade.
> Serice users are prepared to moe i
destitution occurs. This oten causes
migration to more densely populated areas.
> 40 per cent o serice users who
participated were thought to be at
moderate or high risk, with high leels o
physical and mental health problems.
or ra
We ask local authorities and agenciesto take the ollowing action:
> All Greater Manchester councils should
sign a motion in support o destitute
asylum seekers and reugees.
> The North West Regional Strategic
Migration Partnership (RSMP) should
conene a oluntary sector orum.
> The Association o Greater Manchester
Authorities (AGMA) should hae a lead
on reugee issues who can liaise with
oluntary sector partners to coordinateregion-wide responses to destitution.
> All adult saeguarding boards should
reiew their procedures and duties in
relation to destitute asylum seekers.
> Councils should ollow best practice
guidance rom the NRPF Network on
assessing and supporting people who
hae no recourse to public unds.
w r vr :
> Fix administratie delays relating
to all asylum benets.
> Gie people seeking sanctuary in
the UK end-to-end support.
> Introduce a simplied asylum support system.
> Uphold decision-making quality and
eciency, especially on resh submissions
rom end-o-process asylum seekers.
> Ensure the Home Oce and Department
or Work and Pensions prioritise soling
the structural problems inoled in
the moe-on period and transition
to the mainstream benet system.
eXecutiVe summARY
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4 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
BAckgRound destitution
And the gReAteRmAnchesteR Response
sa a y x
Oer the last ten years, successie British
goernments hae passed a range o legislation1
about asylum and immigration. This has caused:
> charges or some reused asylum seekersaccessing secondary healthcare
> the withdrawal o permission to work rom
people who hae been waiting or more than
six months or a decision about their claim2.
The legislation has created an asylum
support system that is complicated, reliant
on large amounts o dicult paperwork
and in many ways inecient, leaing
asylum seekers ulnerable to destitution at
many points throughout the process3.
Poor decision making by the authorities and
asylum seekers limited access to good legaladice means many reach the end o the process
without their protection needs being recognised.
During the last three years more than 25 per cent
o initial decisions to reuse asylum in the UK hae
been oerturned on appeal, pointing to alarming
inconsistencies in the quality o decision making4.
1 Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, Asylum andImmigration (Treatment o Claimants) Act 2004, Immigration,
Asylum and Nationalit y Act 2006, UK Borde rs Act 2007, Borders,Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009
2 At the End o the Line: Restoring the Integrity o the UK AsylumSystem, Still Human Still Here 2010
3 This is powerully proen by the recent Parliamentary Inquiry intoAsylum Suppor t or Chi ldren and Young People, January 2013
4 A Question o Credibility: Why so many initial asylum decisionsare oerturned on appeal in the UK, Amnesty International andStill Human Still Here, April 2013
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 5
wy a ?
An asylum seekers nancial support and/or
housing entitlement ends 28 days ater their
claim is reused and any appeal rejected. At
this point they hae no recourse to public unds
(NRPF), including welare benets or, in most
cases5, public housing. This includes temporary
accommodation such as homeless shelters.
An asylum seeker whose claims or asylum hae
been reused is expected to return oluntarily to
their country o origin. An asylum claimant who
is unable to return immediately is entitled to a
limited orm o support known as section 46.
To be eligible or this support, the
person must be destitute and:
> taking steps to leae the UK, or
> unable to leae due to a physical impediment
to trael or or medical reasons, or
> hae, in the secretary o states opinion, no
iable route o return currently aailable, or
> hae an outstanding judicial reiew or
other outstanding representations, or
> be in need o support to preent a breach o
their rights, within the meaning o the Human
Rights Act 1998.
Section 4 support entitles someone to
accommodation and a card loaded with 35 a
week that can only be spent in certain shops.Despite this, many people who lose asylum
support do not submit an application or section
4 support because they are earul o what
will happen to them i they return home.
As a result, they all into destitution. Many
nd themseles street homeless or soa
surng, relying on amily, riends and
community members or basic support such
as ood and shelter. Many, though certainly
not all, nd their way to a oluntary sector
agency or aith group to ask or help.It is not only reused asylum seekers who ace
destitution. People who are granted leae
to remain can also nd themseles without
accommodation or any nancial support despite
haing the same rights and entitlements as
British citizens. People granted status are gien
a 28 day grace period beore their asylum
support ends and by the end o this our week
period are expected to nd alternatie housing,
and be accessing mainstream benets.
Many reugees nd themseles haing to rely
on amilies, riends, oluntary sector agencies
and aith groups or help as they ace delays o
weeks and sometimes months or benets to
start. Cutting o support to asylum seekers leaes
them destitute and has social and economic
costs or local communities. These include costs
met by charities and aith groups who support
asylum seekers and increased pressure on
the NHS, as destitute people are more likely to
experience physical and mental health problems.
Destitution can orce asylum seekers to use
surial strategies such as rough sleeping,
begging, illegal working and prostitution, all o
which carry indirect costs or communities.
t r a arLocal authorities ability to help destitute asylum
seekers is impeded by national policies and
immigration law. Howeer, in some circumstances
local authorities hae a statutory duty to support
people who are destitute and hae no recourse
to public unds. This is a source o tension
between local and national goernment.
The National NRPF Network argues the
nancial burden o proiding support to [destitute
asylum seekers] lies disproportionately with
local authorities, who hae little control oer [theasylum] decision making process. The NRPF
suggests local authority serices are eectiely
a saety net or those in limbo7. This tension
is illustrated by the wae o motions against
destitution passed by local councils in recent
months, which adocate an end to a national
policy that orces asylum seekers into destitution.
The circumstances in which a local authority
has a statutory duty to support asylum seekers
with no recourse to public unds are narrowly
dened, and may be disputed by local authorities.Councils are increasingly unlikely to use their
budgets to support ulnerable asylum seekers.
Legislation underpinning the support that may
be aailable to destitute asylum seekers locally
includes the National Assistance Act, 1948. The
act means a reused asylum seeker with a serious
health problem, disability or community care
5 Exceptions are amilies with children and a limited number oasylum seekers who qualiy or some suppor t by meeting narrowcriteria which shows that they are temporarily unable to go homethrough no ault o their own.
6 The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
7 Social Serices Support to People with No Recourse to PublicFunds: A National Picture, NRPF Network, March 2011
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6 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
need (within ery clearly dened parameters) may
apply to the local authority or accommodation
and nancial support. People with mental and
physical health problems, disabilities, older
people, pregnant and nursing mothers, and those
suering domestic iolence may also be entitled
to local authority serices under other legislation8.
A local authority can also support amilies
under the Children Act 1989, i the amily
includes a ormer looked ater child or one
who is ound to be a child in need9. In some
circumstances, women with children feeing
domestic iolence who are waiting or a
decision rom the Home Oce on an application
or leae to remain under the domestic
iolence rule are also eligible or support.
Some local authorities hae used their
discretion to interpret this guidance more
liberally, making support and housing more
readily aailable to destitute asylum seekers.
Howeer, the recent transer o north west
Englands asylum accommodation contract
to a new proider means that there is
now less fexibility or willingness to oer
accommodation to asylum seekers on a
temporary basis ollowing an eiction notice.
The transer o the accommodation contract
has had arious knock-on eects in Greater
Manchester. Many o the asylum teams
within local councils hae been reduced or
disbanded10. While their main unction was
to oersee the accommodation and welare
needs o asylum seekers, they also played a
key role in coordinating support and ensuring
statutory serice proiders were working
together to protect the most ulnerable.
8 Such as the National Health Serices Act 1977, Mental Health Act1983 and the National Health Serice and Community Care Act 1990
9 As aboe
10 Manchester City Council continues to take a lead in co-ordinatingthe NRPF network, and the wider North West Strategic MigrationPartnership (RSMP)
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 7
Such coordinated support is ital to ensure
those who are most acutely at risk do not slip
through the net, but the statutory support
aailable locally is limited at best. National
policy change and reorm o the whole
asylum system is the undamental answer.
t r grar mar
The British Red Cross and Manchester
homelessness charity the Mustard Tree
launched the destitution partnership in 2003,
ater implementation o section 55 o the
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
The act had restricted asylum seekers access
to support i their claim or asylum was not
made as soon as reasonably practicable
ater arriing in the UK.
The two organisations were concerned about apotential rise in the number o asylum seekers
without accommodation and nancial support.
This would leae more people sleeping rough,
lacking o basic necessities such as ood, and
asking or help rom oluntary sector agencies
and aith groups.
The partnership was the rst o its kind in the UK.
It later grew to help two other groups o destitute
asylum seekers those whose claims had been
reused but were unable to leae or had not been
remoed rom the UK, and those eligible or
support but denied it by administration errors. Inthe last couple o years, the organisations hae
also begun to encounter and help reugees
entitled to benets but acing the administration
delays described earlier.
Wt w tgt migt b
immdit slti t
tmp pblm d td
it lg-tm pjct.
D Smit, m mg tMstd T d w dict t B Tst
T tst tt I cll ws
g m w d wld
m Wig 18 mils.
D Smit, B Tst
The partnership currently coers Manchester,
Oldham, Bolton, Salord and Traord. Its
members are Rainbow Haen, Oldham Unity,
BRASS, Salord Lie Centre and St Brides. We
estimate 3,000 destitute asylum seekers and
reugees hae been helped by the partnership
oer the last ten years. It has proided ood
parcels, supermarket ouchers, hygiene packs,
trael grants, clothing and emergency temporary
accommodation. Casework support has
included assessments o need, inormation,signposting and adocacy.
In addition to this partnership, many other
oluntary sector agencies and aith groups gie
nancial and casework support to destitute
asylum seekers across Greater Manchester.
Estimates by these agencies suggest 300 to
400 destitute asylum seekers and reugees are
helped each week across Greater Manchester.
The extent o destitution among asylum seekers
and reugees in Greater Manchester is not
collected in goernment statistics.
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8 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
cAse studies
GeorGeS STory*
Few people can imagine liing
without any legal means o
supporting yoursel, day in, day out,
or een a ew weeks. Howeer,
such destitution has characterised
Georges lie or more than ouryears. He is not alone acing such
extreme destitution, which can
be ound by those who care to
look in the reugee population o
many o Britains cities. His case is
nonetheless instructie.
A young man now in his 20s, George arried in
Britain rom his West Arican country o origin in
2006. Once he had made his claim or asylum
in Lierpool, he was allocated national asylum
support serice (NASS) housing in Manchester.
When his initial claim or asylum was reused,
seeral months ater he rst applied or asylum,
his legal-aid solicitor quickly lodged an appeal
against the reusal. As a result, George was able
to stay in the same NASS accommodation and
his subsistence support continued. Howeer,
the appeal was rejected, his support was
terminated and he was quickly made to leae
that accommodation. He was homeless and,or more than two years, entirely dependent
upon the willingness o riends to let him stay
and to help him out with basic necessities.
With donations rom these riends, George
eentually managed to scrape together 500
to pay priately or a new solicitor, who lodged
a resh claim or asylum on his behal. At this
point his solicitor also successully reapplied
or accommodation and support or George,
relieing him o his destitution. Although he
couldnt know it at the time, this was the last
concrete help that he was to receie rom
the solicitor, who phoned the day beore his
court hearing to tell George that he would not
be attending the hearing, leaing George to
represent himsel at court. While his English
had improed greatly since his arrial in Britain,
George struggled to coney his case to the
judge. As he himsel pointed out, i you make
a mistakethey will use it against you and atthat moment youre under a lot o pressure
because this is like most o the technical terms
youe not used. Unsurprisingly, this claim or
asylum was also reused, and George was again
required to leae his NASS accommodation,
becoming homeless and wholly dependent on
riends once more. A subsequent submission
made by George himsel was also reused.
In order to keep himsel occupied George had
enrolled at college when he rst arried in
Manchester, but when his NASS support was
stopped he could no longer pay the bus are to
trael there. Ater this, he used to try to ll his
time by going to the library. For some time now,
howeer, he has kept himsel busy by olunteering
at a Manchester homelessness charity which he
rst became aware o when he was directed there
to collect the ood parcels which keep him going.
He also olunteers with a second charity, one
supporting reugees and asylum seekers. George
stresses that he needs to do this oluntary work
just to orget about my worries somehow but it is
eident that he takes his commitment to each
organisation ery seriously.
I m mist...
t will s it gist .
Gg
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 9
George emphasises that he isnt an economic
migrant, and that his reason or coming to
Britain was or protection. Determined to hae
the merits o his case nally recognised, George
made another submission to the Home Oce
in June 2011. The Home Oce wrote to him
acknowledging receipt o that submission, but
since then he has heard nothing rom them.Despite or perhaps because o the
precariousness o his own situation, he eels
that the goernment should either gie people
permission to stay and to work quickly or it
should remoe them. Aboe all, people should
not be let in the kind o limbo which he is
experiencing. In this situation, he says, youre
not liing; youre just suriing. How does he
manage to keep going through such prolonged
stress? I just take eery day as it comes, but
its not easy he explains.
During the periods when he lied in NASS
accommodation George was always earul o
coming home, in case he should nd a letter rom
the Home Oce asking him to leae the house, or
bringing negatie news about his application or
asylum, waiting or him. Nonetheless, Georgeacknowledges the diculties o haing to depend
on the willingness o riends to accommodate and
support him. He is orced to accept treatment
rom them that he wouldnt otherwise tolerate. At
the moment, he explains, Im trying my best to put
up with the person that Im liing with although
this inoles haing to put yoursel down below
your pride, because youre ulnerable.
Why, then does George persist here, instead o
giing up and going back to his country o origin,
as the authorities so clearly wish him to do? He
acknowledges that he cant explain where hisstrength and perseerance come rom, despite
the obious hardship that he is experiencing.
Moreoer, he reuses to sign or the section 4
support which the Home Oce reseres or
destitute reused asylum seekers, and he is araid
o the ate that would await him at home. I came
here to be sae, so why would I sign my own
death back? He adds that while he may be
constantly worrying about money in his current
situation in Britain, oer there youre worrying
about your lie, like i youre going to see the next
day, because its really, really, really terrible.
LInDaS STory*
Destitution is not only an issue or
reused asylum seekers. On the
contrary, it may be experienced by
people at all stages o the asylum
process. This is as true or those
who hae emerged rom the system
haing been gien permission to stay
in the country, as it is or those whose
application has been ully rejected.
The second case study proides a good
illustration o the kind o problems which
can arise at the end o an application or
permission to stay (leae to remain), when it is
not uncommon or indiiduals and amilies to all
through the cracks between mainstream benets
and the segregated asylum support system.
Lindas account illustrates how this happens. She
arried in Britain in 2009 with her baby daughter,
haing fed a iolent and abusie husband in her
country o origin. Her original claim or asylum
was reused, as was her appeal against its
rejection. She was then asked to attend a Home
y t liig;
jst siig.Gg
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10 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
Oce meeting at which she was asked to sign
some orms, which later transpired to hae been
orms which gae her consent to comply with
eorts to remoe her rom the country. As Linda
recalled, they said, sign these orms because
we are dealing with your case, which I know that
they are busy with my case and then I couldnt
say no. I signed the document, not knowing thatthat is a document that they are preparing or
me and my kids, my baby to go back home.
On the adice o a riend, she submitted a
resh claim or asylum. Although this was ery
switly reused, Linda then began to look or a
solicitor who could help her to stop the remoal
process. The solicitor demanded a payment
o 800, which she was able to get together
with help rom riends and acquaintances, who
contributed what they could aord towards
the solicitors ee. Throughout this period ouncertainty and reusal, howeer, Linda and her
child continued to be eligible or housing and
subsistence support rom the goernment, which
contrasts starkly with the experience o George,
described aboe. Linda acknowledges that while
the state usually continues to support amilies o
reused asylum seekers which include children
up to the age o eighteen, right up to the time
when they leae the UK, this is not the case or
childless indiiduals or couples, or whom the
legal saeguarding obligations do not apply.
Four years ater making her rst claim or asylum,Linda was nally granted limited leae to remain
in Britain. At this point she had to promptly
leae the NASS accommodation where she
had been staying, and her NASS subsistence
support was terminated. Unortunately, howeer,
the time delay between applying or benets
on receipt o leae to remain and being issued
with those benets was two months in her
case. Linda was lucky in that she was gien
some support by her British partner, with whom
she now has a second daughter, but since he
himsel was unemployed and thereore on arestricted income, he was unable to meet all
the needs o both Linda and the two children.
For many people who nd themseles destitute
at the end o the asylum process with either
a positie or a negatie decision, the network
o people on whom they rely or support is
extremely ragile, and the supporters themseles
struggle nancially. Linda explains that although
she was gien temporary housing ollowing her
grant o leae to remain, the benets took timeto come and while she was waiting or them she
was ortunate to be able to access assistance
rom the British Red Cross to buy milk or her
baby, who was still too young or cows milk.
Luckily I went there and then they helped me,
they were giing me 20 each week which
[made] a ery big dierence to me. Though she
has at last been gien access to benets and
no longer requires the organisations help, she
is grateul or what they did or her. In Lindas
words, at the time I needed help they were
there or me, they did really good or me which Ido appreciate and Im happy with it, and I hope
they will continue helping people because its
not easy, especially when youe got kids.
*Names hae been changed.
I p t will cti
lpig ppl bcs
its t s, spcill
w gt ids.
Lid
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 11
A
This study attempts to map the extentand nature o destitution among asylum
seekers across Greater Manchester. It has
been estimated the area may support more
than 2,000 destitute asylum seekers.
The research aims to nd out which serices
destitute asylum seekers use and inestigate
why indiiduals do or do not access support.
We hope it will help oluntary sector agencies
and aith groups raise awareness o the issue
and assist een more destitute asylum seekers
and reugees in Greater Manchester.
Bar
There hae been a number o national reports
published oer the last ew years, including
Coping with destitution: survival and livelihood
strategies of refused asylum seekers living in the
UK, Oxam (2011)10 and Not gone, but forgotten,
British Red Cross (2010)11. Reports about
destitution in indiidual cities hae also been
written in Birmingham12, Leeds13, and Bradord14.
In 2011, the North West Regional Strategic
Migration Partnership published a study onmigrant destitution in north-west England15
as an initial attempt to map the wider group
o migrants who hae come to the area in the
last ten years. It ound the majority o destitute
migrants were ailed asylum seekers but did not
gie a ull picture o the extent o destitution.
This report is thereore the rst attempt to
map destitution among asylum seekers and
reugees in Greater Manchester. In early 2012,
the Boaz Trust started to explore the possibility
o conducting a Greater Manchester area wide
destitution surey based on the surey in Leeds
in 2009. Signicant preparation work took place
but due to sta changes and other pressures,
the project did not moe to the implementation
stage. In May 2013, the British Red Cross
agreed to take the surey to the next stage.
my
We dened destitute reugees and asylum
seekers as anyone who has claimed or is
in the process o claiming asylum, and is
without any orm o statutory support.
The study included anyone who has recently
arried in the UK to claim asylum and those who
hae reugee status but are destitute because
o delays in receiing benets or problems
nding work. Research was carried out rom 29
July to 23 August 2013. A simple questionnaire
surey was conducted in person with as many
destitute asylum seekers as possible who
access support rom rontline agencies across
Greater Manchester. Responses were lled
in by either the serice user or the support
worker. The study also gae some people thechance to tell their story more ully through
one-to-one interiews. It aimed to coer the
ten boroughs in the Manchester conurbation.
A vv
We identied 24 third-sector, rontline agencies
likely to come into contact with destitute
asylum seekers. This included reugee support
organisations, homelessness charities, legal
serices, health agencies and aith groups.
They were all contacted and ten returned
completed sureys. The ten agencies were:
> ASHA (Manchester)
> Boaz Trust (Manchester)
> BRASS (Bolton)
> British Red Cross (Manchester)
> Cornerstone (Manchester)
> George House Trust (Manchester)
> Oldham Unity (Oldham)
> Rainbow Haen (Manchester)> Salord Lie Centre (Salord)
> St Brides (Traord).
Although most are based in Manchester,
they all work with people rom across
Greater Manchester. Despite being
supportie o the surey, Reugee
Action were unable to participate.
10 http://policy-practice.oxam.org.uk/publications/coping-with-destitution-surial-and-lielihood-strategies-o-reused-asylum-se-121667
11 http://stillhumanstillhere.les.wordpress.com/2009/01/not-gone-but-orgotten-june-2010.pd
12 http://www.restore-uk.org/downs/naldestitutionreportmay05.pd
13 http://www.jrct.org.uk/text.asp?section=000100020003000614 http://stillhumanstillhere.les.wordpress.com/2009/01/no-return-
no-asylum.pd
15 http://www.northwestrsmp.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&iew=article&id=594:rsmp-publishes-migrant-destitution-report&catid=45:latest-documents1&Itemid=63
ABout the suRVeY
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12 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
Figure one: the period o destitution
prf r
> 150 participants completed the surey.
> They were aged between 18 and 64 years o
age. 34 per cent were below the age o 30.
> 80 per cent were male. The ast majority
(86 per cent) did not hae any dependents in
the UK, either adults or children.
> They came rom 29 dierent countries. The top
e were Iran (29 per cent), Iraq (17 per cent),
Zimbabwe (11 per cent), Eritrea (6 per cent)
and Aghanistan (5 per cent).
pr
Almost hal o those sureyed had been destituteor at least two years. The most common length
o period o destitution was between two and e
years (41 per cent).
Within this group, 95 per cent are men and oer
hal (53 per cent) are waiting or section 4 support
to begin.
Ra r We asked people the reason or their
destitution16.
The majority o those who knew the reason
or their destitution were at the end o the
asylum process, and made up 87 per cent o
respondents. The most common reason or
destitution was being at the end o the asylum
process and waiting or section 4 support tobegin (46 per cent).
A quarter o participants said they were at the
end o the asylum process and had not applied
or section 4 support. 13 per cent stated they
were being reused section 4 support and only
our per cent o indiiduals were at the start o the
asylum process.
16 The total number o answers across both parts o this questionwas 152, meaning that in two questionnaires, a response wasrecorded in both parts.
indings
1. Up to seen days
2. Oer one week up to 2 weeks
3. Oer two weeks up to 1 month
4. Oer one month up to 3 months
5. Oer three months up to 6 months
6. Oer six months up to one year
7. Oer a year, up to two years
8. Oer two years, up to 5 years
9. Oer 10 years
10. Dont know/dont want to say
14 28 42 56 70
7
0
1
9
11
13
20
62
13
14
0
Number o responses
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 13
I the reason or destitution was not known by
the serice user or the support worker, we asked
where they were in the asylum process. Most
were at the end.
The ast majority o serice users who took
part in this study were at end o the asylum
process. This is perhaps unsurprising as this is
usually when support and accommodation has
been reduced or remoed. Most o those who
knew their reason or destitution (46 per cent)
had applied or section 4 support and were
waiting or a decision. Almost hal the people
waiting or emergency section 4 support had
been destitute or between two and e years.
A small number o people ell into destitution
at earlier stages o the asylum process. O the
150 respondents across the questionnaire, 15
were destitute despite receiing goernment
support during a claim or asylum.
Figure two: answers to I the reason or
destitution is not known by either the service
user or the support worker, please record
whether the service user is
Figure three: where each service user slept the night beore their interview
wr rv r a ?
Most serice users (70 per cent) were able to stay
with riends or amily, but more than a quarter
spent the night in places such as homeless
shelters, charity accommodation, bus stations
or other public buildings. Almost one in 20 slept
outdoors on streets, in parks or in doorways.
Awaiting an asylum decision
End o process
Status unknown
Other
49
3
9
1
1. In preious NASS accommodation
2. With amily or riends
3. Outdoors (such as on street, park, in doorway)
4. Bus station or other public building
5. Homeless shelter
6. Boaz Trust accommodation
7. Accommodation proided by church,mosque or other aith group
8. Other (please speciy)
9. No response
22 44 66 880 110
6
105
6
1
3
11
4
7
3
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14 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
la br a ar
Non-destitute users o British Red Cross
reugee serices are spread reasonably
eenly across Greater Manchester, with the
largest proportion (29 per cent) liing in the
city itsel. But the surey suggests destitution
prompts migration towards Manchester,
as 48 per cent o destitute serice users
said they spent the preious night there.
Almost one in e spent time outside Greater
Manchester beore their current period o
destitution. They arried rom major cities
such as London, Glasgow, Lierpool,
Birmingham and Cardi, and also smaller
towns and cities such as Blackburn, Stoke-
on-Trent, Haliax, Hull, and Newport. Most
who arried in the area when they became
destitute went to the city o Manchester.
O the 44 people who lied in Greater
Manchester beore becoming destitute,
only six moed somewhere else in the
area when they became destitute. Salord
was the second most popular place to lie
beore destitution occurred (17 per cent)
and hal o those who lied there moed to
Manchester when they became destitute.
sr rv
Organisations such as ASHA, the British Red
Cross, the Boaz Trust, Reugee Action, Salord
Food Parcels, Oldham Unity, St Brides, Rainbow
Haen, BRASS and the George House Trust hae
helped destitute reugees and asylum seekers
with accommodation, ood parcels, adice,
section 4 applications, and solicitor reerrals.
R a
Support workers were encouraged to
assess the risk acing each serice user they
interiewed. This section was completed
on 129 out o 150 questionnaires.
Just oer 40 per cent were thought to be at
either a moderate or high risk, and oer ten
percent at high risk. This group had high leels
o physical and mental health problems.
Figure our: risk level o service users
beore their interview
1. Low leel risk: receiing some supppor t,
has somewhere to stay
2. Moderate risk: receiing some support, but destitution
is haing an obious eect on their well-being
3. High leel o risk: not support mechanisms, poor health
and personal circumstances, probably sleeping rough
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
77
37
15
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 15
c
30 serice users gae extra comments or details
about their case. Some o these are below.
I m t tid wit p.
Its t m lt. Pls
lp m.
I m witig t lg d
I sd bt
f s. I d lp d
m sppt.
I wld li tpptit t w.
I ws psd t is
tps bs s wm.
I pblms wit
ccmmdti. Ctl
liig wit id bt tigs g. I il t ttd
m ppitmts d t
fcil pblms.
I l slidit wit ppl
i sitti, d l
sd bt m li.
W s mil gt ll tid
s w d m lp d
ml li li bd ls.
T is d t
immigti sstm t
s slm ss
wt sig ild,
it is im d gist
m igts t tw tm t stts.
I m ll stgglig; I
disbilit d smbd
w t l t.
Its ll difclt, I
w t li. y t p sig d d
ccmmdti d.
Im sicidl.
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16 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
The ndings rom the surey are
bleak, and many o the people we
interiewed were in a desperate
situation. Howeer there are easy
changes which we beliee could
help sole the problem o destitution
among asylum seekers and
reugees in Greater Manchester.
Some o these changes can be
made at a local leel, and others
by central goernment. Eery one
would improe the lies o hugely
ulnerable people, many o whom
lie in hardship simply because
o administratie ailings. Without
action, hundreds o people in Greater
Manchester and many more
elsewhere in the UK will continue to
ace destitution and danger.
Ater a decade o destitution we
need to tackle the causes, not the
symptoms, o destitution. We beliee
Greater Manchester should lead the
way in tackling this problem.
RecommendAtions
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 17
The reD CroSS, ToGeTher
WITh our ParTnerS InCLuDInG
The Boaz TruST, ParTICuLarLy
reCoMMenD The oLLoWInG:
Ra r a a
All Greater Manchester councils should
sign a motion in support o destitute
asylum seekers and reugees.
> It should include a commitment to write to
the Minister to highlight the damage done
to indiiduals when they are destitute in the
asylum system, and a request or the Home
Oce to continue giing nancial support
and accommodation to eeryone who seeks
asylum. It should also ask the Home Oce
to x administratie ailings in the asylum
system and allow local authorities to helpreused asylum seekers at risk o destitution.
The North West Regional Strategic
Migration Partnership (RSMP) should
convene a voluntary sector orum.
> This could be a contact group to update the
oluntary sector, as key stakeholders, on
the RSMPs actiities and business plans. It
would enable dialogue between the Greater
Manchester boroughs and the oluntary
sector about the issue and local authorities
statutory obligations to destitute reugeesand asylum seekers in Manchester.
Councils should ollow the NRPF
Networks best practice guidance
on assessing and supporting people
with no recourse to public unds.
> This should include, at a minimum, respecting
human rights and ollowing guidance on needs
assessments under Section 21 o the National
Assistance Act, Section 47 o the National
Health Serice and Community Care Act
(NHSCCA) 1990.
All adult saeguarding boards should
review their procedures and duties in
relation to destitute asylum seekers.
> This is especially releant where, as in
Manchester City Councils saeguarding policy,
abuse is dened as a iolation o an indiiduals
human and ciil rights by any other person or
persons. This may be pertinent in the context
o asylum seekers who hae been destitute
or a number o years, who may be in receipt
o some local authority serices and who may
also hae health and housing needs.
The Association o Greater Manchester
Authorities (AGMA) should have a lead
on reugee issues who can liaise with
voluntary sector partners to coordinate
region-wide responses to destitution.
> AGMA should also set up a reugee destitution
und to assist those in greatest need and work
closely to address this issue. It is unacceptable
that almost hal o those waiting or emergency
support in Greater Manchester hae been
destitute or at least two years, and that one
in ten hae been destitute or oer a decade.
In light o this act, all agencies should look toproide een a basic support system or those
people in this position.
Ra r ravr
Fix administrative delays relating
to all asylum benefts.
> Our surey ound the largest group o destitute
reugees and asylum seekers (among those
who know the reason or their situation) were
those waiting or section 4 support to begin.
These serice users hae been destitute an
extremely long time or this support. These
systemic delays are unacceptable and must
be addressed as a priority.
Give people seeking sanctuary in
the UK end-to-end support
> The stark scale o destitution in Greater
Manchester shows the need or an end-to-end
support system that helps people until they
leae the country or are granted some orm o
status.
Introduce a simplifed asylum
support system.
> Section 4 should be abolished and all asylum
seekers bought on to cash support through
Section 95.
> Asylum support should be increased annually
at the same rate as other benets.
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18 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
Uphold decision-making quality and
efciency, especially on resh submissions
rom end-o-process asylum seekers.
> The Home Oce must ensure all resh
submissions are decided within the releant
e or two day timerame set out in operational
policy guidance. Fie days should be an
absolute maximum or an assessment
according to the test or resh submissions.
Where representations meet the test or resh
submissions, the Home Oce must make
high-quality decisions about the indiidual
application despite the existence o a lie
section 4 support claim.
Ensure the Home Ofce and Department
or Work and Pensions prioritise solving
the structural problems involved in
the move on period and transition to
the mainstream beneft system.
> 10 per cent o people sureyed were destitute
despite getting goernment support during
their asylum claim. It is striking how many
people were recognised as reugees but did
not hae support because o administration
problems.
> Serice users losing support they are legally
entitled to is a clear injustice. The moe
between asylum support and mainstream
benets oten causes homelessness, and the
moe rom Home Oce housing proidersto new accommodation is particularly
problematic. It is a undamental responsibility
o goernment to improe this transition and
extend the 28 day grace period, ensuring
no-one with status is let destitute.
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 19
AppendiX one: suRVeY
Survey To DeTerMIne The naTure anD exTenT
o DeSTITuTIon aMonGST aSyLuM SeekerS InGreaTer ManCheSTer.
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20 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
The British Red Cross, Boaz Trust and other reugee partner
organisations across Greater Manchester will be conducting a
surey o serice users who use our destitution serices rom 29 July
23 August 2013. This will help us get a clearer picture o the extent
o the problem across the ten boroughs, the reasons why people
become destitute and will importantly also help us to adocate orchange. The ndings o this surey will be released as part o a
partnership eent raising awareness o this issue which is scheduled
to take place in Greater Manchester on 18 October 2013.
Completed surveys are to be returned by 27 August 2013 to:
FAO: Joe Parkinson
British Red Cross,
10 Brindley Road,City Park, Cornbrook,
Manchester, M16 9HQ
Name o agency completing surey:
Name o person (sta/olunteer)
completing surey:
Please ask the serice user questions 1 11 only. Question 12 is or the person completing the surey,
based on the inormation you know about the serice user.
Working in partnership to assist asylum seekers in Greater Manchester
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 21
1. First time surveyed?
Using the repeat isit symbol ask the client i
this is the rst time that they hae taken part in
the surey. I no please go to question 1a.
1. Yes
2. No
3. Dont know/not sure
1a. Where surveyed beore
2. Date o birth
Please enter the clients date o birth. dd/mm/yy
2a. Name or initials
Please write the clients name (i willing
to share) or his/her initials
3. Country
Please write in the clients country o origin.
4. Gender
Please indicate the clients gender:
1. Female
2. Male
5. Dependents
Is the client responsible or any people other than
themseles (in the UK)? Please indicate number o:
Number o adults responsible or:
Number o children responsible or:
6. Reason or destitution
Why is the client destitute?
Choose (tick) rom the ollowing:1. Start o process not yet applied
or Section 95 (NASS)
2. Start o process applied and
waiting or Section 95 to begin
3. Denied support under Section 55
4. NASS administratie error support
stopped during asylum process
5. Lost NASS support due to breach
o conditions (e.g. absence, working
illegally, alternatie income)
6. End o process not applied or
Section 4 (unwilling; dont meet criteria;
i age disputed please note this)
7. End o process waiting or
Section 4 support to begin
8. End o process reused Section 4
9. End o process preiously supported
by Social Serices as UASC
10. Positie decision (without housing)
11. Social Serices applied and waiting
or social serices support
12. Adult social care social
serices support remoed
suRVeY Questions
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22 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
I the reason or destitution is not known
by either the client or support worker,
please record whether the client is:
13. Awaiting an asylum decision
14. End o process
15. Status unknown
7. Length o period o destitution
How long is it since the client stop receiing
support? (What is their present period
o destitution) Answer one only (tick):
1. Up to seen days
2. Oer one week up to 2 weeks
3. Oer two weeks up to 1 month
4. Oer one month up to 3 months
5. Oer three months up to 6 months
6. Oer six months up to one year
7. Oer a year, up to two years
8. Oer two years, up to 5 years
9. Oer 10 years
10. Dont know/dont want to say
8. Where did the client sleep last night?
I the client is willing to gie this
inormation, please note where they sleptlast night (Answer (tick) one only):
1. In preious NASS accommodation
2. With amily or riends
3. Outdoors (e.g. on street, park, in doorway)
4. Bus station or other public building
5. Homeless shelter
6. Boaz Trust accommodation
7. Accommodation proided by church,
mosque or other aith group
8. Other (please speciy)
9. No response
8a. Borough in which client spent last night
Please enter the borough (or area)
where the client spent last night
1. Manchester
2. Salord
3. Traord4. Stockport
5. Tameside
6. Oldham
7. Bury
8. Bolton
9. Rochdale
10. Wigan
11. Outside Greater Manchester(please speciy)
12. Dont know/dont want to say
9. Borough o residence prior to destitution
Please enter the borough (or area) where the
client stayed beore this period o destitution.
1. Manchester
2. Salord
3. Traord
4. Stockport
5. Tameside
6. Oldham
7. Bury
8. Bolton
9. Rochdale
10. Wigan
11. Outside Greater Manchester(please speciy)
12. Dont know/dont want to say
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A decade o destitution: time to make a change 23
10. Other support received in last month
Please ask the client to say what support
they hae receied in the past month and
where rom (can be more than one answer):
British Red Cross
Boaz Trust
Oldham Unity
Rainbow Haen
Reugee Action
ASHA
Salord Food Parcels
St Brides
BRASS
Other charity or community
organisation (please speciy):
Faith group (please speciy):
What type o support hae they receied:
11. Other comments/ detailsHas the client anything else they want
to say about their current situation?
THANK THE SERvICE USER
FOR THEIR TIME.
12. Risk assessment
(This question is to be completed by the
volunteer/caseworkerbased on the
answers gien by the client.)
Based on your contact with the client during
this isit, please assess the leel o risk
caused by their destitution (Tick one only):
1. Low leel o risk: receiing some
support, has somewhere to stay
2. Moderate risk: receiing some
support, but destitution is haing an
obious eect on their well-being
3. High leel o risk: no support
mechanisms, poor health and personal
circumstances, probably sleeping rough
Additional ulnerability, i applicable/known:
a. Detention release
b. Prison release
c. Hospital discharge
d. Pregnant woman
e. Physical health problem
. Mental health need
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24 A decade o destitution: time to make a change
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British Red Cross
Bradbury House10 Brindley Road
City Park
Cornbrook
Manchester
M16 9HQ
Tel: 0161 888 8900
redcross.org.uk
Published 10/2013
The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by RoyalCharter 1908, is a charity registered in England and
Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738).