1.5 years of destitution for asylum seekers

Nearly 100 asylum seekers and refugees living in Scotland’s biggest city are in a state of destitution, a survey has suggested.

On average, people were destitute for one and a half years, but one survey participant had been destitute for six and a half years.

Researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University counted the number of people who presented as destitute to 13 support agencies and services over a one-week period from 5 March to 11 March 2012.

Almost a quarter – 88 people out 364 – were destitute.

For the purposes of the study, destitution is defined as being without any financial support and unable to work.

The survey included individuals at all stages of the asylum process, from those yet to register their claim to those who have been granted refugee status.

The largest group consisted of those who have been refused asylum, whose appeal rights are exhausted and have no access to public funds. They accounted for two thirds of all responses.

People surveyed came from 29 different countries, the most commonly recorded being from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

The survey was commissioned by the charities Refugee Survival Trust, the British Red Cross and Scottish Refugee Council and carried out by lead researcher Morag Gillespie from GCU’s Scottish Poverty Information Unit.

She said: “Coping with destitution for any length of time at all is a traumatic experience, but to do so for more than a year and a half – the average time as revealed in this study – is a truly bleak existence.

Marie Hayes, Red Cross operations director for West Central and South West Scotland said: “In this day and age, destitution should not be an outcome of the asylum system.

“There should be a proper asylum support structure – including permission to work – until the applicant is either removed or granted leave to remain.”