Kirklees Council Meeting: Motion to consider destitution amongst refused asylum seekers

At the Full Council meeting of 15 January 2014, we have submitted the following motion to be considered regarding destitution amongst refused asylum seekers:

 

Kirklees Council welcomes the initiative taken by councils such as Glasgow, Bristol, Sheffield, Leeds and Bradford Councils to highlight concerns about refused asylum seekers and the lack of support for them in the UK.

Furthermore, Kirklees Council shares the concerns of groups working locally with refused asylum seekers about the levels of destitution they face in the Kirklees area and the associated problems that this creates. In 2013 in Kirklees, there were 33 destitute asylum seekers and 300 supported by The Home Office.

Kirklees Council therefore resolves to:

 

·       Formally write to the Minister of State for Immigration in order to make clear Kirklees Council’s opposition to the use of destitution as a policy tool with which to force refused asylum seekers to leave the UK, whilst they pursue their case for a haven safe from persecution.

·       Request that the Home Office guarantees to continue its provision of financial support and accommodation whilst an individual negotiates a safe return, leaves the UK or is granted leave to remain and that good quality legal advice is provided at all stages of the asylum process.

·       Formally write to the Government in order to seek a change of policy that would allow local authorities to assist refused asylum seekers at risk of destitution by providing emergency provision in line with provision available to any other homeless person.

·       Endorse the Children’s Society call for reform of asylum seeker support systems.

·       Join the national campaign, Still Human Still Here, which proposes

-        the restoration of free access to health care for all asylum seekers whilst in the UK;

-        the granting of permission to work for asylum seekers whose case is not resolved within six months or if they have been refused but are temporarily unable to return through no fault of their own;

-       improved decision making to ensure all those in need of protection receive it.  

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