Volunteers call out failures in system as asylum seekers start to leave West Berkshire hotel
The settlement system in place for asylum seekers moving on from hotels has been called a failure by local volunteers.
Volunteers in West Berkshire say that many have been separated from family, found errors in paperwork and been evicted from hotels with little notice.
Individuals seeking asylum from countries like El Salvador, Sudan, Syria and Iran have been staying in the Regency Park Hotel in Thatcham since January last year.
Under the Government’s Leave to Remain scheme asylum seekers are granted permission to stay in the country as a refugee once Government paperwork is completed.
It is during this time that their asylum support ceases.
Around 12 asylum seekers at the Regency Park Hotel have now been granted this settlement after more than a year in the country.
A lead volunteer of a local refugee support group based in West Berkshire has shared documents and asylum seeker’s stories with the Newbury Weekly News illustrating what she calls failures in the system.
Lead volunteer Karen Reeve said that despite needing 28 days’ notice before eviction from a hotel, some asylum seekers in Thatcham have only been given seven days to find a new home.
Of the 12 people granted Leave to Remain, one ‘very young’ woman was evicted from her temporary accommodation on a Thursday night at around 8pm, Ms Reeve said.
“The Government changed normal process about three weeks ago from the usual 28 days to seven days with no warning,” she said.
Despite the volunteer group making representations to the Home Office – of which they allegedly did not receive a reply – the woman was evicted with no place to stay.
Ms Reeve said that the woman was then taken in by a local church.
The asylum seekers have been living on £9.10 a week which stops after 28 days of leaving.
But some services such as Universal Credit don’t start for around five weeks – leaving many without money for themselves and their families.
“If they could ever find a bed they’d have no ability to pay for it, let alone buy food for a week,” Ms Reeve added.
“These are refugees who the Government has agreed have met the strict criteria for asylum and victims of war and need humanitarian aid.
“Every element of the system has failed.”
She added: “It’s like every part of the system has broken or I have wondered if it is deliberate sabotage.
“They [Home Office] must have five year olds working for them.”
Another woman granted Leave to Remain in the district has found herself stuck as her details are incorrect on her residence permit.
Ms Reeve said: “It has her name and date of birth wrong even though every document before that had them correct.
“She’s had eviction notice today [August 25] but can’t claim help because her details are inaccurate.”
Ms Reeve added: “These folk want to work, they don’t want to be a burden on our society.”
Another volunteer of a neighbouring refugee support group in Reading echoed her comments after what he has seen.
Refugee Support Group chief executive Nick Harbourne said: “There is more legislation for the transportation of animals in the dignity and respect than that of the way we treat these human beings.
“A husband and wife were sent to different locations, families with kids in schools are being sent to different places and it makes no sense.
“Then there are the things that are going on at Clearsprings.”
In October last year The Guardian reported three directors of Clearsprings – a firm managing hotels for UK asylum seekers – shared dividends of almost £28m.
The company increased its profits more than sixfold, costing the Home Office more than £5m a day.
“It is an appalling situation,” Mr Hardbourne added.
“The way that asylum seekers have been treated is appalling.”
But the Home Office told the NWN that asylum seekers are given 28 days’ notice for accommodation and payment termination.
A spokesperson said that once someone is given notice that their asylum claim as been granted they are ‘informed’ of the 28-day period.
They said individuals will then be issued a written ‘notice to quit’ support letter at least seven days before their accommodation and support payments are due to end.
“Where an individuals’ 28-day period has passed, but they have not received their seven-day notice, they will still receive the seven-day notice period,” they said.
They added: “We also offer support to newly recognised refugees during the 28-day ‘move-on’ period, through Migrant Help or their partner organisations.
“This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market through the Department for Work and Pensions, providing advice on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.
“This will ensure that people can move on following a decision on their claim.”