UK Destitution on the Rise Among Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Categories: Articles:Asylum & Refugees |
Published: 11/07/2016 |
Views: 1659
Almost 5,600 refugees and asylum seekers have been destitute in the UK in the first half of this year, according to British Red Cross figures released on 8 July. The number of people supported by the charity’s destitution services, which include the provision of food parcels, clothing and small amounts of emergency cash, has risen by 16% since the same period in 2015, during which 4,679 people were helped.
Nearly half (44%) of those assisted by the Red Cross between January and June 2016 were from Sudan, Eritrea, Iran, Syria or Iraq. These are all recognised as being among the world’s top refugee producing countries due to conflict or political persecution.
Alex Fraser, Director of Refugee Support at the British Red Cross, said: “No one should flee the war in Syria or political persecution in Eritrea, only to become destitute in the UK. But for many, reaching safety is far from the end of their journey. With the number of people fleeing conflict and persecution worldwide at an all-time high, our government should be doing all it can to uphold its responsibilities to refugees. However, these figures show that all too often people are let down by an asylum system that is inflexible and difficult to access.” Read more here
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