People seeking asylum arrive in the UK fleeing war and persecution. They should find safety and support here, not more danger and hardship.
However, while people wait for a decision on their asylum claim, they are banned from working and forced to be wholly reliant on a payment called Asylum Support. To help people cope with the coronavirus crisis, the Home Office announced an increase to support rates - but of just 26p per day. This means people seeking asylum are forced to live on just £5.66 per day.
Less than £40 a week has never been adequate to meet people’s needs. During a pandemic, it makes it impossible to stay safe.
The Home Office must rethink this dismal decision before even more harm is done to people seeking asylum. In the longer term, Asylum Support should be re-linked to mainstream benefits to prevent people seeking asylum being cut adrift from reasonable levels of support. Write to your MP and ask them to tell the Home Secretary to reconsider this 26p-per-day increase and move to a system of Asylum Support that meets people's needs during this pandemic and beyond.
Add your voice and #StandUpForAsylum.
