Refugee Survival Trust fears rise in asylum seeker destitution

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The Refugee Survival Trust (RST) fears that the recent Court of Session ruling allowing the eviction of refused asylum seekers from Home Office accommodation could result in hundreds of people being made destitute and forced into street homelessness in Glasgow.

The case against Home Office Scottish accommodation provider Serco to prevent refused asylum seekers being evicted without a court order was dismissed, leaving the way open for evictions to begin.

Up to 300 people now face the prospect of losing their homes and struggling to find alternative accommodation. Night shelter and hosting services in the city, provided by local charities, are already oversubscribed and there is a high risk that many of those evicted will end up sleeping rough.

Cath McGee, Project Manager of the Destitute Asylum Seeker Service said, “When a person becomes destitute, the impact on his or her physical and mental health is immediate. If someone does not have a safe place to stay and cannot provide for their daily needs, it is impossible for him or her to make progress with their legal case or make an informed choice about their future in the UK. Over the last two years, RST has seen an unprecedented rise in applications to our emergency grants programme for destitute people and so far this year, over 30 new referrals per month have been made to the Destitute Asylum Seeker Service. If the number of destitute people in Scotland continues to rise, the Refugee Survival Trust and other charities in Glasgow will struggle to cope with the demand for support and services.”

For further information, contact Cath McGee, DASS Project Manager on 0141 353 5603 or at DASS_ Manager@rst.org.uk

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