Refugee Council issues warning

April 29, 2004 in Adults, Asylum and refugees, Workforce

More than 2,500 asylum seekers from the 10 EU accession countries
could be made homeless overnight next week, the Refugee Council has
warned.

Asylum seekers from the accession countries will be denied National
Asylum Support Service or local authority support from 1 May when
their home countries join the EU.

Unemployed nationals from accession countries will not be entitled
to any benefits or social housing.

Margaret Lally, deputy chief executive of the Refugee Council, said
the number of people who would be affected was much higher as this
figure did not take into account people’s spouses, children or
dependents.

“We would have hoped to see some transitional arrangements put in
place to allow people more time to find work and somewhere to
live,” she added. “As it is, there is a real risk that many
individuals and families may find themselves homeless and unable to
support themselves.”