Thousands of people in Scotland are being forced into extreme poverty and homelessness by hostile UK immigration policies, new research reveals.
The research includes a survey of those accessing crisis support from Fair Way Scotland, a partnership of charities working to prevent homelessness and destitution among those with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
The study by Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh found that going hungry and surviving without clothing and toiletry basics was the norm, while rough sleeping was common.
Most of those interviewed have been living in Scotland for years or even decades. They include those with NRPF who arrived seeking asylum and have, for example, exhausted their right to appeal as well as some who arrived on spousal or student visas.
Key findings:
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97% of those surveyed were destitute, with an average weekly income of just £40. A third reported no income at all in the last month. Hunger and skipping meals were the norm, with two-thirds reporting going without meals, clothes and toiletries in the last month.
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93% were experiencing homelessness, with 53% sleeping rough in the last year. Over half (55%) were in temporary accommodation provided by charities, local authorities or the Home Office. Over the last year, 58% left accommodation with nowhere else to go.
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People in affected groups showed significantly poorer physical and mental health compared to the general population. Experiences of trauma, violence, stigma, and discrimination were widespread.
The report calls on all levels of government to make urgent changes to end this “destitution by design,”.
We’re asking the UK Government to simplify routes to settlement, and the Scottish Government to use all powers at its disposal to stop this humanitarian crisis from worsening.
Jamal has been living in the UK for 17 years, arriving to seek asylum from persecution abroad. He said:
“You are not able to work. You cannot work. You cannot support your family. You cannot support your kids… it turned [my] relationship upside down.”
Kunal arrived in the UK more than a decade ago as a 26-year-old keen to pursue his education and escape homophobic persecution in his home country which had left him feeling mentally broken.
Unable to afford student accommodation, Kunal initially stayed in an overcrowded two-room flat with 12 other people, making it difficult to focus on his studies. After he was robbed, his college closed and his visa application was refused, he became homeless, sleeping rough and in shelters where he faced threats and exploitation. He walked the streets in subzero temperatures, battling hunger, in fear for his safety and terrified of losing his vital documents.
A turning point came when we helped him with submitting a fresh application and he is now in temporary accommodation. Kunal remains anxious about his uncertain future, caught between the fear of danger at home and his continued insecurity in the UK. He longs to return home but knows doing so would expose him “to certain danger.” But he concludes: “I’m not safe here [either]” He also explained that he has intentionally given away belongings because of his housing insecurity, saying: “I’m trying to reduce my stuff now, give it to charity and stuff, so it will be easier to move from place to place.”
Read the full report and find out more about our partnership with Fairway Scotland here.
If you need help or advice about housing or other vital services, call our free helpline on 0808 1967 274
