Down and out in London

Amnesty International found that rejected asylum seekers are being made destitute to force them to leave the UK and that this policy is clearly failing as many destitute rejected asylum seekers remain in the UK. Almost all the people interviewed for this report were living from hand to mouth, surviving on the charity of others, their dignity stripped away by this existence.

The report recommends that:

i) No rejected asylum seeker in the UK should be forced into destitution.
ii) Rejected asylum seekers who cannot be returned to their country of origin should be given a legal status in the UK.
iii) A fair returns policy should be implemented where sufficient guarantees are in place to ensure that their return is safe and dignified, with full respect for human rights.
iv) Rejected asylum seekers should be allowed to stay and work if they have skills or experience needed in the UK economy.
v) The New Asylum Model should ensure that rejected asylum seekers are not forced into destitution.

Published in November 2006

Download the document from the Amnesty International website