Refugees’ benefits

I am writing in response to the letter from Brian Allan (24 January) in which he claims that payments made to illegal immigrants and refugees total £29,000 per year.

In fact, this figure is taken from a hoax e-mail which circulated several months back and quotes completely inaccurate information.

As stated in a House of Commons briefing paper, issued in response in August 2011, illegal immigrants are not entitled either to work or claim benefits in the UK and are subject to being removed to their countries of origin.

Refugees – those who have been recognised to be in need of international protection against persecution in their home counties – are able to claim social security benefits and tax credits on the same basis as UK nationals, but may find it difficult to access contributory benefits such as pensions and maternity allowance.

However, people seeking asylum – who are waiting for a decision on their asylum claim – are not entitled to mainstream benefits and are not entitled to access the labour market.

Instead they may apply for financial support from the UK Border Agency, set at around 70 per cent of jobseeker’s allowance, equating to roughly £5 per day.

It is extremely important that in these difficult economic times we do not look to scapegoat the most vulnerable in our society.

Gary Christie

Scottish Refugee Council

Cadogan Square

Glasgow