News

Three quarters of organisations working with asylum seekers have seen their clients sleep rough as a result of the controversial section 55 of the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, The Refugee Council has found, writes Clare Jerrom.

Early findings of a survey published to coincide with the first anniversary of the introduction of the policy show that asylum seekers have been forced to sleep in a phone box and rubbish bin overnight after being denied support, according to 77 per cent of respondents.

Maeve Sherlock, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “The past year has seen increasing numbers of asylum seekers facing destitution and homelessness as a result of section 55."

In December, 130 organisations responded to the survey assessing the effect of section 55, which denies welfare support to asylum seekers who fail to make their applications ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’.

More than half said they, or members of their community, had to provide emergency shelter for asylum seekers and 65 per cent have given emergency provisions or money to asylum seekers refused government support.

Yet 88 per cent of respondents said they do not have funding to cover the cost of services they are providing to asylum seekers denied support under section 55.

In December, home secretary David Blunkett announced that people applying for asylum within three days of arrival would be supported as long as they could provide ‘an honest appraisal of how they reached the country and how long they have been here’. Previously, asylum seekers had to apply within 24 hours.

The Refugee Council has joined force with more than 20 organisations including Shelter, Liberty and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants to call for section 55 to be repealed.

The full report is expected at the end of February.