Senior Reporter 
Asylum Seekers – Some members of Parliament from different parties have looked at how the government treats people seeking asylum in the UK.
Asylum Seekers – Some members of Parliament from different parties have looked at how the government treats people seeking asylum in the UK. They have said that the current rules seem made to make life very difficult for these asylum seekers, forcing them into poverty, while not actually stopping people from coming to the UK.
Detrimental Effects of Existing Policies – Asylum Seekers
The report says that making asylum seekers wait a long time before they are allowed to work or get help from the government is not a good idea. It is causing them to struggle with not having enough money or access to basic services. This is putting a burden on local councils, public services like hospitals and schools, and taxpayers, while not really putting people off from seeking asylum.
Recommendations for a Fair and Effective System
1. Right to Work: Asylum seekers should be allowed to work after 6 months of being in the UK, instead of having to wait 12 months like now.
2. Access to Services: People who have come to the UK should be able to get help from the government and use public services, so they don’t have to take unsafe or unfair jobs.
3. Fee Reduction: The fees for immigration and citizenship applications should be lower, especially for young people who are on the path to settling in the UK permanently.
Voices of Reason and Compassion
Ruth Lister, from the Labour Party, who helped write the report, said the findings show that government rules are secretly causing poverty and destitution for people going through the immigration system. Olivia Blake, also from Labour, said the UK’s immigration system seems to want to make life even harder for these vulnerable people.
People from different parties like the former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, the Conservative peer Nosheena Mobarik, and the SNP’s David Linden, all agree that the UK needs a better, kinder immigration system that helps the country, economy and society, while also treating vulnerable people with dignity.
