Asylum seekers waiting over a year for claim in UK may be allowed to work under new measures

"Up to 21,000 asylum seekers who have waited for a year for their claims to be processed could be allowed to enter the jobs market so they can support themselves, the Home Office has said, as part of a package of measures to be announced on Thursday. As the government seeks to empty asylum hotels, claimants who break the law, work illegally or are found to have enough assets to live without support will from June be ejected and lose their support payments."

"Restoring order at our border is not just an embodiment of Labour values, it is the necessary condition for a Labour government to do anything at all. Mahmood wrote that Labour's vision should appeal to the mainstream and be neither the nightmare of Farage's borders, effectively closed, nor the Greens' fairytale of borders effectively open."

"There are about 30,600 people awaiting asylum claims living in roughly 200 hotels across the UK, and 107,000 people receiving asylum support, the Home Office said. At present, those in dispersal accommodation, such as private housing, receive 48 a week, while those in hotels receive 9.95 per person."

The Home Office announced measures to address asylum hotel overcrowding by permitting approximately 21,000 asylum seekers who have waited over a year for claim processing to enter the job market. Those who obtain employment would lose asylum support payments, incentivizing self-sufficiency. Simultaneously, the government will remove support from claimants who violate laws, work illegally, or possess adequate assets. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood defended the approach as essential to restoring border order and maintaining Labour values. The Refugee Council expressed concerns about increased rough sleeping. The government also plans to introduce a new safe and legal route for refugee students in autumn. Currently, approximately 30,600 people await asylum decisions in roughly 200 hotels, with 107,000 receiving asylum support overall.

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