Refugees and Migrants - The Facts
These facts are accurate as of April 2025.
Online and in print media today there is a lot of mis-information about refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. It is important to draw a line between fact and fiction in order to advocate for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. Spreading misinformation can be harmful and dangerous, so we have put together this guide to ensure that everyone has access to the facts.
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.
What is the difference between an ‘asylum seeker’ and a ‘refugee’?
A ‘refugee’ is someone who has fled their country and is unable to return because of war or human rights violations. A refugee has been granted protection in another country by a government body and has the right to international protection.
An ‘asylum seeker’ is someone who has fled their country and is seeking protection in another country from war or human rights violations. Their status as a ‘refugee’ has not been determined, and they must go through a complicated legal process in another country to prove that they should be determined as a ‘refugee’. Seeking asylum is a human right.
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. In July 2023 the ‘Illegal Migration Act’ came into force in the UK which prevents those that arrive via ‘irregular means’, e.g. on a small boat, from claiming asylum. In 2025 the new UK labour government introduced a new bill which aims to repeal sections of the ‘Illegal Migration Act’ so that this will no longer be the case.
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.
Why did UK government plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda?
On the 14th of April 2022 the UK government announced that it wanted to 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.
What is the ‘far-right’?
The ‘far-right’, sometimes called ‘right wing extremism’ is the name for a set of political ideologies and the people that subscribe to those ideologies. Far-right groups disproportionately target global ethnic majority groups, LGBTQI+ people and some religions.
Helpful online resources to keep up to date with the facts about migrants and refugees: