LASSN Volunteer Training

WELCOME

Introductions

• Name

• What are volunteering for

• Why did you get involved

• One obscure/interesting fact about yourself

Morning• Introductions

• The Asylum journey

• Questions

Agenda

Afternoon• English at Home

Housekeeping and ground rules

What do people believe?

… we are being flooded

… everyone comes for the benefits

… everyone is bogus

… asylum seekers are terrorist & criminals

… the UK is the number one destination for asylum seekers

What do we believe?

• People are mis-informed

• Informed people are sympathetic

• Informed people are supportive

• Informed people are generous

Where do refugees come from? 2012

How many people do you think claim asylum in the UK each year?

• Around 5,000 6%

• Around 25,000 23% Actual

• Around 100,000 31%

• Around 200,000 23%

• More than 500,000 18%

Where do refugees go? 2012

Definitions

• Asylum Seeker – Someone who is fleeing persecution and has arrived in another country exercising their right to claim asylum

• Refugee – Someone whose application has been successful and they are given the right to remain in the country they have sought asylum in

• Refused asylum seeker – some whose claim has been refused and currently does not have an outstanding case

• Economic Migrant – Someone who has chosen to travel to another country to seek employment

Definition of a refugee

• A refugee is as a person who has fled … due to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of – race– religion– nationality– membership of a particular social group– or political opinion

Article 1, The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

Different types of refugee protection

• Refugee status– falls within the 1951 Convention definition– given 5 years to remain - extension or revocation after this– Prior to 2005 people were given Indefinite Leave to Remain

• Humanitarian Protection (HP)/ Discretionary Leave– does not meet the 1951 Convention definition– But to return the person would violate the UK’s obligations

under the Human Rights Act 1998, particularly article 3 (torture and inhuman and degrading treatment) or if the return would be unlawful or inappropriate

– Granted for up to 3 years (although after this period it may be reviewed as to whether further protection is required).

Migration in the UK – 2012

Source:Migration Statistics Quarterly Report August 2012 | 30 August 2012

Population in mid 2012 = 63,700,000

asylum seekers

27,978 (incl dependants)

Arrivals into the UK

497,000

Departures from the UK

321,000

Net migration176,000

Asylum applications to the UK

-

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Asylum in the UK 2012

Source: Home Office, immigration statistics

21,843New claims for

Asylum in the UK

5,974Granted leave to remain in UK

Refugees through resettlement programme

750

Asylum journey in

the UK

Asylum Support

• UKBA supports adults and families• accommodation (inclusive of bills)• weekly cash support (section 95)

• Local authority supports unaccompanied children

Detention

All asylum seeking adults and families are “Liable to be detained”

• There is no statutory limit to the length of immigration detention

• The decision to detain is made by an immigration officer or a case owner and is not automatically subject to independent review at any stage

• The coalition government committed to ending the detention of children. At present they are running immigration removal pilots into alternatives

Asylum journey in the UK

Section 4 support

1. Taking all reasonable steps to leave the UK2. Unable to leave the UK by reason of a physical

impediment to travel or for some other medical reason, e.g. late stage of pregnancy

3. Unable to leave the UK because there is no viable route of return available

4. Have made an application for judicial review of a decision in relation to their asylum claim.

5. Require support in order to avoid a breach of a person’s rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, e.g. submitted a fresh claim

Section 4 support

• Accommodation (including bills)• £35.39 credited each week to the Azure card • NO CASH• Additional credits available for small children

& pregnant women

Destitution

• Refugees

• Refused asylum seekers, cannot get section 4 or social services support

• Cannot return to their home country

• Cannot get travel documents

• Stateless – no country will accept them

• UK Government policy

Access to healthcare, Aug 2011Refugee

– access to all health care, same as any other resident

Asylum seekers, refused asylum seekers appealing or on section 4, people who have been trafficked

– entitled to register with a GP (at GP discretion) and to receive free NHS hospital treatment

– exempt from charges for health care and prescriptions – need UKBA certificate HC2

Refused Asylum Seeker– Treatment already underway is completed free of charge– Prescriptions – need low income certificate HC1– Other treatment will be charged

Services free services to all– Accident and emergency– Family planning– Certain diseases (TB, Measles, pandemic flu)– Treatment for sexually transmitted diseases – HIV/AIDS treatment now free– Mental health treatment under court order

Legal Advice

Asylum seekers are entitled to FREE legal representation from:

• A solicitor, or• An adviser who is officially regulated by the

Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC)

Any questions