Hand-to-mouth existence of Manchester’s destitute

asylum seekers

Independent Asylum Commission: Asylum Support and Destitution

12 October 2007

ASYLUM SEEKERS and refugees will tell an independent hearing how they have been forced into a desperate hand-to-mouth existence on the streets of Manchester after their claims were turned down.

A coalition of local agencies headed by Refugee Action has identified asylum seekers and refugees from global trouble spots including Darfur, Ethiopia and Somalia, who will tell the Independent Asylum Commission how they came to be destitute, why they fear returning to their country and how they have survived with no support and no right to work.

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Voluntary returns programmes

A refugee or asylum seeker may decide to leave the UK and return to their country of origin. A host of reasons and factors may influence the decision to return but care needs to be taken before any decision is made to return. If a person returns to the country of origin, then s/he may lose permission to stay and a right of entry to the UK.

A person can choose to make their own arrangements to leave the UK independently. But there are also assisted return programmes which offer help to leave the UK and assistance back in the country of return. Each programme has its own rules about who is eligible for help and the type of assistance it provides.

The assisted voluntary return programmes described are not run by the Refugee Council.

NASS Policy has advised that applications for work permission under the EU Directive must be made to

the IND Asylum Casework Directorate. Only the main asylum applicant can request permission to work

which will be considered by an asylum caseworker. The Directive (and the Immigration Rules) state that

permission to work can be denied if the delay in dealing with the asylum claim can be attributed to the

claimant, only the asylum caseworker can determine this. There is no one IND department dealing with

requests for permission to work. Those wishing to seek permission should write to IND Asylum Casework

Directorate quoting their HO reference number.

You can apply for permission to work if:

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