Join Oasis Refugee Centre<\/a> and Tai Pawb, as we launch a three-week journey to shine a light on a pressing issue: homelessness and poor housing conditions among sanctuary seekers in Wales.<\/p>\n We kick off by delving into the terminology surrounding sanctuary seekers \u2013 asylum seekers, refugees \u2013 and raising general awareness about the challenges.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Person Seeking Asylum\/Asylum Seeker<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n An asylum seeker is someone who has left their home country due to fear of persecution <\/strong><\/b>and has come to the UK to seek safety. They have applied for asylum, which means they’ve asked the UK government to recognise them as a Refugee due to the threat of harm if they were to return to their country of origin. While waiting for a decision from the Home Office, they are considered asylum seekers. This process can take a long time, during which they are awaiting permission to stay in the UK. We prefer to use the term “person seeking asylum” rather than “asylum seeker,” which can be dehumanising.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Refugee<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n A Refugee is someone who the Home Office acknowledges as having a legitimate fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, social group, or political beliefs. They’re outside their home country and can’t go back because due to the threat of persecution. Once recognised as a refugee, they can live, work, and receive benefits in the UK for a set period.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Refused Asylum Applicant<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n 75% of initial<\/strong><\/b> decisions<\/strong><\/b> made in 2022 resulted in a grant of asylum or other form of protection –\u00a0<\/span>Refugee Council<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A refused asylum seeker is someone who has sought asylum but has been denied Refugee status by the Home Office. This indicates that the government does not acknowledge their need for protection and has refused them leave to remain in the UK. If these individuals have exhausted all avenues of appeal, they are known as ARE (Appeal Rights Exhausted). Some refused asylum seekers choose to return home voluntarily, while others may face forced removal from the country.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The proportion of asylum appeals allowed in the year to March 2023 was 51% (almost unchanged from the previous year). <\/span>Refugee Council<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n 41% of displaced people across the world are children<\/span> Refugee Council<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) are minors who come to the UK seeking asylum without any parent or legal guardian accompanying them. It’s the responsibility of the UK government to provide them with care, housing, and legal aid to ensure their safety and to process their asylum applications. Since they don’t have adult support, these children receive assistance from the Local Authority rather than accessing asylum support as dependents on an adult’s package.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n “No recourse to public funds” is a condition imposed on a person by the UK government that restricts their access to most forms of state-provided welfare benefits and support. This means that they are not<\/strong><\/b> eligible to receive financial assistance or benefits from public funds, such as welfare benefits, housing assistance, or social housing. This condition is applied to refused asylum seekers and is also applied to other cohorts of migrants.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Initial Accommodation:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n Initial accommodation is the first place where asylum seekers are housed upon arrival in the UK. <\/span>In Wales these accommodations are provided by the UK government which in many cases has opted to use substandard and unusual accommodation like disused military bases and barges. <\/span>They offer temporary shelter while asylum claims are being processed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Almost all people seeking asylum are not allowed to work and are forced to rely on state support\u2014this is as little as \u00a37 a day to live on.<\/span> Refugee Council<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dispersal Accommodation:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n After initial accommodation, asylum seekers may be moved to dispersal accommodation.<\/span> Until 2023 dispersal accommodations in Wales were located only in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham however since 2023 dispersal accommodations are located across Wales. <\/span>In Wales these accommodations are provided by the UK government through a company called Clear Springs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They provide basic necessities and support while asylum claims are being processed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thousands of people have to wait years for a final decision on their claim, meaning they are left in limbo and unable to plan for their futures. Of the 128,786 people awaiting a decision at the end of 2023, 65% (83,254 people) had been waiting for more than six months.<\/span> Refugee Council<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWeek 1: Terminology and Awareness<\/h3>\n
Housing in Wales for Sanctuary Seekers: A Quick Guide<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/h4>\n