Asylum seekers forced to travel to Liverpool

New changes to UK refugee claims mean thousands of asylum seekers could be forced to travel to Liverpool.

Applicants will no longer be able to continue their asylum requests via post, instead being required to appear in person.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has reportedly made these changes without consulting major refugee organisation the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA), who fear the changes may be contrary to the Human Rights Act.

The changes now require all who made initial applications before March 5th 2007 must attend the Liverpool Further Submissions Unit in Walter Street to update their case.

All new applications must be made at the Asylum Screening Unit in Croydon.

Nigel Simons, a volunteer at the Refugee Council in Birmingham, said: “The people that are being asked to report are those that have no support whatsoever because they have no current asylum claim.”

Under Section 4 of the Immigration And Asylum Act 1999 a refugee must have an asylum request being processed before they can receive basic housing and food stamps.

Mr Simons said: “Unless they have a fresh claim pending they cannot get this Section 4 support, basically even though they are destitute and street homeless they are expected to take these representations to Liverpool. Unless they can do that they are disqualified from receiving any form of Ukba support so... ...

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