Asylum seekers in the North East are at risk of “destitution, detention or deportation” because of a new questionnaire, a charity and an MP have warned.
The Newcastle-based Action Foundation and Labour’s Chi Onwurah have slammed the Home Office for demanding that refugees return a lengthy questionnaire within 20 working days or risk having their asylum claim pulled. The document, which must be completed in English, has sparked concerns about the complexity of its questions and whether claimants will be able to get the proper legal help in time to meet the deadline.
Action Foundation CEO, Duncan McAuley, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Most of the people we’ve seen coming to our weekly Newcastle drop-in don’t know how to complete this form correctly, aren’t fluent in English and can’t access the legal support required in just 20 days. This leaves them facing the withdrawal of their claim without it even being assessed and ultimately destitution, detention or deportation.
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“Needless to say, the impact on people’s wellbeing is huge, as their future lies in them being able to complete this form in a very short space of time. We’d like to see the asylum backlog addressed without punishing thousands of people by asking them to complete a life-changing form without giving them the knowledge or support they need to do so.”
It has been reported that the questionnaire, which the Government is sending out as it tries to tackle a huge asylum claims backlog, is being delivered to some 12,000 asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Libya and Yemen. Its questions include whether the claimant was subject to human trafficking, who they fear in their home country and why, and asking for proof of identity.
Ms Onwurah’s office said she had been contacted by refugees struggling with the form. The Newcastle Central MP added: “Last month, over a quarter of the casework in my office involved the Home Office. In many cases, the long Home Office delays have led to suicidal thoughts and GPs prescribing anti-depressants to constituents.
“After 13 years of Tory Home Secretaries, the asylum system is totally broken. Asylum decisions have collapsed while the backlog has skyrocketed.”
A Home Office spokesperson responded: “It is standard practice for Home Office immigration documents to be in English. The majority of asylum seekers who will be receiving the questionnaire already have legal representatives who can help them with translation, if required.
“Friends, family and non-government organisations can also assist the person and the Home Office will consider extensions to the deadline on a case-by-case basis.”
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