Asylum Matters has published a new report – ‘Locked Into Poverty: Life on Asylum Support’ – which reveals a picture of poverty, exclusion and hardship for people seeking asylum who are wholly reliant on Government support payments.

The Home Office confirmed last week that ministers have completed the latest review of asylum support rates and are increasing payments – by just 3p a week, to £39.63 a week.

This new report by Asylum Matters is based on work undertaken in July and August with people in the asylum system, and with over 30 local and national partners who support them, on a survey of people’s experiences of living on asylum support. The survey was subsequently submitted to the Home Office for its review of asylum support rates.

The report sets out the survey’s key findings, which are as follows:

• 92% of respondents did not have enough money to buy all they need;
• 84% said they don’t always have enough money to buy food;
• Just 2% of families can afford to buy the shoes and clothes they need for themselves and their children;
• 63% of people stated they could not always afford the medicines they needed;
• Only 1 in 4 people stated they could afford essential cleaning products;
• 95% of people stated they could not afford to travel by public transport;
• Only 1 in 10 people could afford data and phone credit they needed.

You can access the full report here.