by Una Purdie

Newly-arrived asylum seekers are forced to travel 400miles to submit their claim after changes to the asylum process began this month.

The Scottish Refugee Council has called for an immediate halt to the changes which they claim put more people at risk of poverty and destitution.

The UK Border Agency announced this month that anyone making an in-country asylum claim now has to be screened in Croydon. Formerly Scottish based asylum seekers could start the process in Glasgow if they had children, health issues or other special needs. Others travelled to Liverpool, a journey which was already too long according to the Refugee Council’s Chief Executive John Wilkes:

“Scottish Refugee Council has long called for all people who have arrived in Scotland to be screened in Scotland. Those seeking sanctuary will face further delays, further stress and trauma and worsened poverty. These changes must be overturned.”

The call to allow initial asylum claims to be made in Scotland was backed by recent research from the Refugee Survival Trust . They found new arrivals were particularly at risk of destitution. They often arrived in Glasgow with poor control of the language, no knowledge of the culture or geography, and no means of financial support. In the past five years RST have provided small grants to enable 527 people to travel to Liverpool to submit their claims.

The UK Border Agency responded that claims are still expected to be made at the port of entry, but  justified the change for in-country claims on efficiency grounds. Lin Homer, Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency, said:

“The UK operates a firm, fair and efficient asylum system that is delivering faster decisions to help those who need our protection.

“We are determined to provide value for money for the tax-payer by critically assessing ongoing claims for support and ensuring that those in need of asylum receive it quickly and can move into the mainstream system and work.”