Refugees and Migrants - The Facts
These facts are accurate as of May 2024.
What is an ‘Illegal Asylum Seeker’?
There is no such thing! It is not illegal to seek asylum. Seeking asylum is a legal process and a right that everyone has access to.
Can Asylum Seekers in the UK claim benefits?
No. Those seeking asylum in the UK cannot work or claim the same benefits as UK citizens. They are paid a stipulation of £49.18 per week to help with living costs.
Do people seeking asylum need to claim asylum in the first safe country that they reach?
No. This is not a requirement by international law. Many migrants and refugees take difficult journeys to places that they have a connection to - perhaps somewhere that they speak the language, or have family residing.
Is it illegal to arrive in the UK via a small boat?
Crossing the English Channel in a small boat is a highly dangerous and often traumatising way to reach the UK. It is only attempted by desperate people fleeing unsafe situations. The UK government is currently trying to fast-track a bill through parliament to make it impossible to claim asylum if someone has arrived in the UK this way. This bill has been deemed untenable by many.
What has been the UK’s response to Ukrainian Refugees?
The UK approach to resettling Ukrainian refugees and offering visas has been tighter than the EU policy, but more open than policies towards refugees and migrants from other countries. For example, those applying for asylum from Ukraine do not have to be physically present in the UK to apply. The UK’s response to Ukrainian refugees has overall remained consistently compassionate.
Do asylum seekers live in luxury hotels at the expense of UK taxpayers?
No. When those seeking asylum arrive in the UK they are put into basic temporary accommodation as an interim measure for a maximum of 3-4 weeks. When processing becomes backlogged sometimes the delays mean asylum seekers are hosted in bed and breakfast accommodation for a short time.
Do refugees take jobs from UK-born workers?
Asylum seekers who have not had their claim processed are unable to work in the UK. Once their claim has been approved, a refugee may look for a job, but they often face many barriers to employment such as language ability, non-recognition of qualifications, discrimination and gaps on their CV. In fact, refugees in the UK are 4 times more likely to be unemployed than people born here, and on average earn about half the amount per week that UK nationals do.
Is the UK government planning to send asylum seekers to Rwanda?
On the 14th of April 2022 the UK government announced that it would send some asylum seekers to Rwanda to have their claim processed there as a way of managing and reducing immigration in the UK. On 15 November 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that the government policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful.
Helpful online resources to keep up to date with the facts about migrants and refugees: