HOW many asylum seekers are destitute in Scotland? We really have no idea. The Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee, in its report on the asylum process was unable to establish a figure, but notes the Red Cross in Scotland supported 820 last year.
North Lanarkshire council has begun to record how many people come forward for emergency support. MSPs were only sure of one fact –numbers are rising.
That’s not a surprising conclusion – as the committee says, “destitution is built into the UK asylum process”, with a ban on recourse to public funds being one of the methods used by the UK Government to force people whose claims have been refused to leave the country. Only thousands do not go home, whether fearing persecution (despite the Home Office’s verdict on their claim), or for some other reason. If they are here for a better life, most must be chronically disappointed.
For this is another area of modern life – like food banks – where Government has absolved itself of responsibility for a functional safety net, with charities left to shore up the gaps. Glasgow charity Positive Action for Housing now maintains a list of some 6,500 families UK-wide who provide what director Robina Qureshi describes as “a modern-day underground railroad... defying the inaction of governments to the global refugee crisis”, with a refugee hosting programme. Other charities including the Red Cross and the Scottish Refugee Council also help mitigate this everyday crisis, with hardship funds, advice and support services.
And social services also have to pick up the pieces – not least in relation to child protection. As Natalia Farmer, a PhD researcher from Glasgow Caledonian University explained to the committee there is a “significant tension” between immigration laws which deny families any support and Scottish social services, which have to protect children in need.
The committee concluded both UK and Scottish Governments could take action to mitigate the system. The Scottish Government could start, it suggests by simply attempting to count how many people with insecure immigration status in Scotland are destitute.
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