Refugee and Asylum Seekers Awareness Notes
These notes relate to awareness training for all library staff in Stockport library service around 2005. They are a bit out of date now, and obviously concentrate on Stockport, but may be of use to others planning something similar. We found that providing background information on the subject, and then talking about the local situation, is a good way of raising people's awareness.
For more information please contact:
Maria Nother
Senior Librarian-Access
Dialstone Library
Lisburne Lane
Offerton
Stockport
SK1 1XX
0161 474 2515
Introduction
-These awareness notes aim to provide library staff with a general understanding of the asylum process in the UK, and related issues. The notes concentrate on general information rather than specifics. As we will generally be unaware of library users backgrounds, general awareness and good customer care practice, are as always the key to a positive library experience for all.
-These notes have been compiled from the details of a 6 week course, entitled “Understanding Asylum”, that was attended by Maria Nother. National information has been taken from the leaflet “Tell it like it is-The truth about asylum”, available on the Refugee Council website Local information has been taken from the leaflet “Asylum Seekers in Stockport-The Facts”, produced by the Safer Stockport Partnership.
-Stockport’s Community Strategy 2003-2013 states “Stockport’s vision is of a borough where everybody is encouraged to fulfil their potential, regardless of who they are or where they are from; and that the diversity of people’s different backgrounds, culture and circumstances is appreciated, respected and positively valued”.
Definitions
-The terms refugee, asylum seeker or illegal immigrant are often misused by people who assume they mean the same thing, but they are separate terms that relate to a person’s legal status in this country.
-Asylum Seeker-someone who has left their country of origin, possibly fleeing from persecution due to war or human rights abuses, has arrived in another country and has applied their legal right to become a refugee. Under international law anyone has the right to apply for asylum in any country.
-Refugee-someone whose asylum application has been successful and who is then allowed to stay in that country.
-Illegal Immigrant-someone who has arrived in another country and has intentionally not made themselves known to the authorities, and therefore has no legal basis for being there.
1951Refugee Convention
-The Convention was set up, by the United Nations, due to the vast amounts of people in Europe, who were displaced during and after the 2nd World War.
-The 1967 Protocol updated the Convention to ensure it applied to all refugees worldwide.
-The basic provision of the Convention is to “accord treatment as favourable as possible and, in any event, not less favourable than nationals”.
-Today the Convention and Protocol are upheld and maintained by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), often called the UN Refugee Agency.
-All member states of the UN, including the UK, should comply with the international laws laid down by the UN. Individual countries can “opt out” of individual articles within a law, convention etc. but can not opt out of the whole.
Numbers of asylum seekers and refugees
-A UNHCR report “Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialised Countries” published in March 2005 stated that the UK had seen a 33% decrease in the number of asylum requests between 2003-2004.
-The same report also stated that in the UK between 2000-2004 there had been 393,830 asylum requests. This means that between 2000/04 about 0.67% of the UK population were asylum seekers.
-The UK is home to less than 2% of the world’s refugees.
-Statistics from 2002 show that 25% of asylum seekers in UK are women and 75% men. 82% are under 35 years and 18% over 35. As Britain has a predominately older population it is speculated that asylum seekers could supplement a reduced workforce in the UK in the near future.
-Latest statistics, including the quarterly statistics provided by the Home Office, can be seen at .
-In Stockport we have about 250 asylum seekers or about 82 households. Using the 2001 Census population for Stockport this means about 0.1% of Stockport’s population are asylum seekers.
Process in the UK
-On arrival people go to emergency/induction accommodation for approximately 4 weeks, and are then allocated other accommodation. In the UK since 2000 asylum seekers are “dispersed” to a geographic location. This means that a person or a family is allocated housing in a particular area. The individuals have no say about where they are dispersed. The housing is basic; often housing that has been taken out of circulation by the local authority. It is funded by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) rather than via the local authority. Basic amenities are included i.e. a cooker, fridge, beds etc. Electric and water supplies are also included.
-Benefits-Asylum seekers are not legally able to work in this country until they are given refugee status. This includes any paid work, but people can become volunteers. But contrary to the majority of media speculation they are not given full state benefits, only 66% of the value of Income Support.
-Other support-Asylum seekers are also entitled to free health care services and free education to the age of 18. The media has also speculated that asylum seekers get unlimited levels of Legal Aid, but in fact they are limited to 9 hours.
-Applying for Refugee Status-As soon as people arrive they need to appear, in person, at an Immigration Office for an interview to register their intent to apply for refugee status. Next a Statement of Evidence Form (SEF) needs to be completed. This is a 28 page form, that is only available in English. A lawyer is needed to complete the form. Applications can be for individuals or families. Next people have to wait for their assessment by the Home Office, and this can take 3/4 weeks if “fast-tracked” (home country on a list of vulnerable countries or details straightforward), but is more likely to take 3/6 months, and could take as long as a year.
-Initial Decision-There are 3 main decisions that can be made-full refugee status, Humanitarian Protection(HP)/Discretionary Leave to remain(DL)/Exceptional Leave to remain(ELR) or no status conferred.
-Full refugee status-when people are given leave to remain, as their case illustrated they had been persecuted and could not return to their country of origin. From 30/08/05 people given refugee status will be given 5 years, rather than indefinite leave to remain. With this outcome people are able to apply for work, have full access to the welfare system, and the right to apply for British Citizenship after a number of years. But they have to vacate their NASS accommodation within 28 days. They can buy or rent private property or apply for housing with the local authority. If applying for local authority housing they are not given any special priority over others. At this point they should be able to move to another area if they wish, but in reality, if reliant on local authority housing, they are often limited to the area they were dispersed to.
-Humanitarian Protection(HP)/Discretionary Leave to remain(DL)/Exceptional Leave to remain(ELR) -these are temporary statuses of between 1-3 years. Such statuses may have been allocated if the Home Office thinks the person does not fully meet the refugee criteria, but is either unable to be returned home or has other pressing needs e.g. health issues. People have to reapply for full status, but as legislation changed in Aug 2004 it is not yet clear what the outcomes of reapplication will be. They entitle people to welfare benefits, social housing, social services and the right to work. Since the Nationality, Asylum and Immigration Act 2002-“Firmer, Faster, Fairer”, has been in force more asylum seekers have been given temporary statuses.
-No status conferred-this when someone’s application for refugee status has failed. When this happens all benefits and NASS accommodation are withdrawn, but people are still not legally able to work. Often people are not deported straight away but deportation and removal can take place at anytime. If people don’t have passports, and so can not be deported, they may be detained in a camp. In some cases people are electronically tagged to prevent them disappearing underground. Failed asylum seekers do have the right to appeal, but only if they log their appeal within 10 days of receiving their statement and are only allocated 3 hours of Legal Aid.
Other issues
-Many asylum seekers have left their homes, their families and all their possessions, due to persecution. Some have been tortured or raped.
-When they arrive in a safe country they are often traumatised and depressed. There is a high rate of mental health problems associated with asylum seekers.
-Due to the process in this country many people feel a loss of identity, loss of control or choice, overwhelmed with a new culture and language, isolated etc.
Myths
-The leaflet “Asylum Seekers in Stockport-The Facts”, produced by the Safer Stockport Partnership gives clear information to dispel some of the myths that have been spread about asylum seekers and refugees.
What libraries can do?
-The “Welcome To Your Library” project, which ran in 5 London boroughs (Brent, Camden, Enfield, Merton and Newham) in 2003/04, included simplifying joining procedures, tours of the library, ICT use, collections of materials in suitable languages and staff training. In Stockport we have tried to follow this example of good practice.
-We work with the local refugee support group. The Access Team visits the group on a monthly basis and encourages people to join the library and borrow materials. Group visits to Central have been arranged.
-Collections of books in suitable languages have been purchased e.g. Portuguese, Arabic, Farsi etc.
-The new membership procedures enable more asylum seekers and refugees to join than in the past. There is no evidence that these borrowers are more likely to default on items than other borrowers and in some cases become regular users and advocates of the library service.
-Some people may be able to apply for a Leisure Key.
-Free computer use is popular giving people the opportunity to use hotmail to contact family, look at newspapers from home, use translation tools etc. All staff have received ESOL training, some of which is useful for working with asylum seekers and refugees.
-Overall libraries can provide asylum seekers and refugees with many opportunities and support, and also a way of integrating with a local community.
Websites
- –Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees in the UK. An independent information centre which exists to promote understanding of asylum and refugees in the UK and to encourage information-based debate and policy-making.
- –The United Nations High Commission for Refugees. Has worldwide information, details of the 1951 Convention and an online periodical “Refugee Magazine”.
- –A website that provides a wide variety of information in a variety of different languages. Includes general information about what services a public library offers, how to join etc.
- –The Refugee Council is the largest organisation in the UK working with asylum seekers and refugees. The site includes news, a myth busting section and information for asylum seekers and refugees in 12 languages.
- – The Forced Migration Review online. A periodical aimed mainly at professionals.
- – Although it covers the Yorkshire, Humberside and Liverpool areas there is some good general information. Again a variety of languages are available.
- – Health information for asylum seekers and refugees. Although the site has been developed by the East of England Regional Health Group, it contains some useful national information.
- – Organisation which promotes best practice in media representation of asylum seekers and refugees.
- – A translation site including Arabic, Farsi, Portuguese and Russian.
- – Newspapers from around the world.