Asylum Stories

What is the big deal about asylum?

Two out of every three asylum seekers, who flee persecution in their home countries due to civil war or for political or ethnic reasons, are refused sanctuary in the UK by the Home Office. Many asylum seekers simply find it impossible to prove their stories. The Independent Asylum Commision found that their was a ‘culture of disbelief’ in the Home Office. Furthermore, cuts in legal aid have led to many solicitors giving up immigration work meaning that some asylum seekers are unrepresented at their hearings and many struggle to make appeals.

Once refused, they are told to go home. But they are not immediately deported. Instead they are left destitute with no means of support and no right to work.

Some cannot get the necessary travel documents as their home countries refuse to have them back. Many more fear persecution, torture, or even death if they return to the countries they fled from.

There are over 100,000 refused asylum seekers nationwide. Manchester was one of the top three dispersal towns for asylum seekers entering the country in 2007, and many remain once their asylum claims are turned down. Indeed, several thousand refused asylum seekers are known to live in the city.

Some will be able to stay with friends, often sofa-surfing between those who will take pity on them. Others have nowhere to go and have no choice but to sleep rough on the streets. With no national insurance number they cannot even access government funded homeless hostels. These people become like “living ghosts”, hidden from society with no means of survival. Physical and mental illness are common, particularly for those with a history of torture and abuse.

Why share stories?

We believe that telling stories and sharing the experiences of the asylum seekers we come into contact with is a really important and powerful way of conveying their plight. You can find stories of some of the people that The Boaz Trust works with by clicking on the ‘Asylum Stories’ link.

If you work in the media and are interested in working with us in promoting the issue and raising awareness, please contact us. We have had articles in a number of national and local media outlets and continue to seek out opportunities to tell people about what we do.