Our Destitute Asylum Seeker Service (DASS), helps people who have been refused asylum and who are known as ARE (Appeal Rights Exhausted) to find a route out of destitution and resolve their situation.
Lauren Stewart, one of our destitute advisers explains the vital service we provide.
Destitute asylum seekers are often hidden from sight around Glasgow and many people are not aware of the problems they face. But destitution throughout the UK asylum system remains an unspoken certainty.
The Destitute Asylum Seeker Service (DASS) supports people who have been refused asylum and who find themselves homeless and destitute. Support from the Home Office stops 21 days after an asylum claim is refused, leaving vulnerable men and woman with no money and no accommodation.
People in this position are not able to work and fall under the category of “No Recourse to Public Funds”- which mean no access to mainstream benefits or homelessness assistance from the local council amongst other things.
The DASS Project uses a holistic model to support people to access wider services. We work with our partner organisations to find emergency accommodation through night shelters and hosting schemes, as well as emergency money from charitable grants.
We also help clients to access healthcare and legal agencies. We work closely with the Strathclyde Law Clinic who can help clients to progress a fresh asylum claim by exploring different routes and assisting them to gather new evidence.
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A fresh asylum claim means entitlement to support from Home Office. The DASS project helps to gather destitution evidence to apply for this support, where clients are provided with accommodation and money whilst a decision is being made on their new claim.
The clients that the DASS Project assists are in a very distressing and upsetting situation. Because of bureaucratic delays and an inhumane asylum system, those who are fleeing persecution and conflict are often left in destitution for months, sometimes years, at a time.
The most vulnerable in our society are affected: young women, families and those suffering from health conditions. Over 80% of the clients that the DASS Project supports are suffering from mental health issues.
Through the work of the DASS Project and Scottish Refugee Council, we are able to help and empower clients at this distressing time to improve their situations and find a sustainable route out of destitution.
How do I access this service?
If you have any questions about the service please contact Scottish Refugee Council on 0141 223 7979 or 0141 248 97899, alternatively email dass@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk for more information.
