Since 2010, Coventry has been
known as a City of Sanctuary and with that, the City acknowledges
that it recognises the plight of asylum seekers forced to flee
their home countries.
Many asylum seekers, in
exercising their human right of free speech in their own countries,
have received death threats, suffered beatings and threats to their
family members, forcing them to abandon their homes, their country
and all their possessions. Here in
Britain, if their asylum cases are refused by the Home Office, they
lose all financial support and accommodation. Current laws also prevent them from
working. This leaves them in a cycle of
deprivation and poverty that is currently impossible to
break. Many are forced into
homelessness on the street. The
destitution of the refused asylum seekers places increased pressure
on the charities and communities that meet their most basic human
needs.
The recent Children’s
Society report into support for asylum seekers found widespread
evidence of destitution, its negative impact on children and of the
need to reform the asylum support system if it is to have regard to
the safety and well-being of children.
The Council welcomes the
initiatives of the 11 City Councils that have passed a motion on
destitution in the UK, highlighting the concerns for refused asylum
seekers and the lack of support and facilities. Coventry, as the City of Peace and Reconciliation
is complemented by the assertion that we are a City of Sanctuary
but for this proud declaration to be meaningful and worthy of its
fine words, we must act to improve this situation with the
following actions:
- The Lord Mayor and
the Leader to write, on behalf of the City Council, to the
Secretary of State for Home Affairs deploring the Government policy
that forces refused asylum seekers into destitution while they
continue to fight for a safe haven from persecution.
- The City Council
should work closely with the voluntary sector through a designated
Officer to provide help, support and advice to applicants and
enable a co-ordinated response to be easily available to those in
need at this vulnerable time of their lives.
- The Lord Mayor and
Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Home Affairs seeking
a change of policy allowing local authorities to assist refused
asylum seekers in danger of destitution and to provide equal
emergency provision to refused asylum seekers as they would to any
other homeless person.
- The City Council
should request the Home Office to ensure that it continues to
provide financial support and accommodation until a safe return is
negotiatied or an individual leaves the
UK or leave to remain is granted, and to provide good quality legal
advice at all stages of the asylum process.
- The City Council
should write to the Secretary of State for Home Affairs making
clear its opposition to the use of destitution as a policy tool to
force refused asylum seekers to leave the UK while they continue to
state their case for a safe haven from persecution.
- The City Council
agrees to produce a report highlighting all existing support
available in Coventry, including housing, training, education and
legal advice open to vulnerable asylum applicants.
- The Lord Mayor and
Leader of the City Council calls on all Coventry MPs to support the
content of this Motion, to raise the matter in the House of Commons
and support a change in current laws regarding asylum applications
by removing restrictions on local authorities in the support they
can provide to destitute asylum seekers.
- The City Council to
join the national campaign “Still Human, Still Here” (a
coalition of about 70 organisations, including several City
Councils, Church of England and Catholic Archbishop Conferences,
Amnesty International and the Red Cross, who are proposing
practical solutions to end the destitution of refused asylum seeks
in the UK).
- The City Council
agrees to seek further support for this Motion and actions via the
Local Government Association and to encourage other Councils in the
UK to follow suit.