Omar has spent eight years trapped in the UK’s asylum system, barred from working and unable to make plans or move on with his life.
When a government mix up left him penniless with no money to buy food, he called our Refugee Support Service for help. With our support, he is slowly picking up the pieces.
Omar was a traumatised 16-year-old when he arrived in Scotland in search of safety. His dad had been murdered for refusing to take part in gang violence and the teen was forced to flee Egypt to escape a similar fate.
“My life was in danger back home because my family was involved in gang activity. My dad was killed because he didn’t want to be involved. My mum, sister and me, we ran away. But one of my uncles found where we were. They beat me for days. My mum told me to leave the country. She knew I would be in danger if I stayed. It’s like a movie; it feels like it’s not real.
“When I came to Scotland, I was still a child, but I wasn’t treated as underaged. I knew not a word of English back then and I couldn’t understand what was going on. I was supposed to be in school but they put me in accommodation with a bunch of adults. I got used. It was really hard.
“I had interpreters that spoke Arabic but they were from different countries and I couldn’t understand their accent and dialect. I couldn’t say what I had experienced and what I had been through.”
Despite his difficult start, Omar was determined to get on with life. Three years ago, he and his then girlfriend had a baby daughter. Their relationship has since broken down but Omar wants to play an active role in his little girl’s life.
Then, in April last year, Omar suffered another blow.
After waiting in limbo for more than six years, he received a letter from the authorities saying that his application for refugee protection had not been granted. It was devastating news. Omar’s asylum support payments stopped and he lived in constant fear of being evicted.
“When I got the letter I was thinking, if they kick me out, I’m going to be homeless. That was going to affect my ability to see my daughter. It was a very scary time. I thought I would lose my daughter and then lose myself. It was the hardest time I have ever faced.”
For 18 months, Omar did not receive a penny from the authorities. He wanted to get a job so he could support himself. But people in the asylum system are not allowed to work.
“I’m not lazy. I asked many times for permission to work but they kept refusing. I studied software development. Now I just want the right to make a living. I’m 24 years old and I’m not allowed to work. That is so hard for me.
“Many, many times I’ve been offered illegal work, like selling drugs, but I did not come here to do that. I could be doing that back home and living like a prince but I just want to be a good person. I want to set a good example for my daughter and be a good son to my mum.
When Omar came to our Refugee Support Service for help, he was regularly going without meals.
He hadn’t been able to buy a birthday present for his daughter and couldn’t afford to take the bus into central Glasgow where churches and soup kitchens provide hot meals.
We applied for destitution grants so Omar could buy food and put him in touch with foodbanks, pantries and charities offering support. We also gave him emergency bus tickets so he could travel into the city.
“I was really, really struggling with money. I was only eating one meal a day and I lost a lot of weight. There were organisations where I could go to get food but I didn’t have money to get a bus or train to the city centre.
“I will never forget what Cara [my Scottish Refugee Council case worker] has done for me. She was helping me with bus tickets, money and food tokens. When I got those, I could eat. This is how I survived.”
Our Refugee Support Service made multiple calls to Omar’s lawyer and the authorities to find out what was happening with his case.
After many months of delays, the lawyer let us know that there was an ongoing appeal against Omar’s negative asylum decision. This meant he was entitled to financial support from the authorities. We contacted them the same day to get Omar’s payments restarted.
They confirmed that Omar was entitled to financial support, which they claimed he had been getting since August 2023. But Omar had not received a single payment.
Finally, after a lot of back and forth, we received a letter confirming that Omar was owed back-dated payments. The authorities are in the process of fixing their mistake and paying Omar the money he is entitled to.
“When Cara told me about the money, I couldn’t believe it to be honest. I felt like a dead body that woke up. It’s going to have a huge impact on my life.”
“When I heard, the first thing in my head was my daughter. I want to buy some stuff for her. Some toys and some clothes.
“I still don’t understand what happened. I don’t know why the payments stopped or why they didn’t realise. Living for so long without money can have such a bad impact on someone’s life. It’s crazy to be honest.
“At least now I can go to get a bus or train to the city centre. I can go and see my friends, get outside, go and do a shopping and buy food.”
Omar has received his first extra payment, which he used to buy a warm winter coat.
He is excited to be able to buy his daughter a present this Christmas and is looking forward to joining in the festive celebrations with his friends. He has also applied for a course at college and is hoping to turn his life around.
“I have applied for a hairdressing course and I’m looking forward to doing that. If they allow me to work in the future, I would love to. I want to get a job, so I can work hard, build myself up and have my own place one day.”
Find out how our Refugee Support Service can help people facing homelessness and destitution.
*Omar’s name has been changed to help keep him and his family safe
