This summer, we ran a survey w/ people living on asylum support to understand what it was like to live on only £5.66 p/day.

The results couldn’t have been clearer. Low rates of support force people seeking refugee protection into poverty and isolation. https://asylummatters.org/2020/11/02/locked-into-poverty-new-report-shows-reality-of-life-on-asylum-support/

People told us that they cannot meet their essential living needs on only £5.66 a day. Without the right to work, low rates of asylum support means people are forced to survive without the very basics, with devastating impacts on their physical and mental wellbeing.

People told us that enduring months, even years, on asylum support affects every single aspect of their lives. They are forced to make impossible choices every day to try keep themselves and their families fed and clothed, and keep safe from coronavirus.

We also commissioned opinion polling among voters in the 35 most marginal seats won by the Conservatives at #GE2019. A large majority think current asylum support rates aren’t enough for people to be able to live on.

Last week, the @ukhomeoffice decided to increase asylum support rates by just 3p a week.

An extra 3p will not put enough food on the table.

An extra 3p will not help families keep themselves safe from coronavirus.

An extra 3p a week is simply not enough.

People seeking asylum should be able to live their lives free from poverty, just like everyone else. Support rates must be urgently increased to at least 70% of mainstream benefits and people seeking asylum should have the right to work. Anything less is an #InsultNotAnIncrease.