Latest research shows harsh policies do not deter people desperate to find safety

Last week we launched a major new research report on why people seek asylum in the UK. The report challenges the government’s frequently repeated claim that allowing asylum seekers to work in the UK would create a “pull factor”, and will be useful for everyone campaigning for asylum seekers to be given permission to work.

The research reminds us that asylum seekers are fleeing violence and persecution. Harsh policies such as forced unemployment do not deter people from coming here; their need to find safety outweighs all other concerns.

Most asylum seekers interviewed for the report did not choose to come to the UK. The majority had only a few days in which to leave their home countries, often in fear of their lives.

The government argue that allowing asylum seekers to work will create a “pull factor” and encourage people to come to this country. This was reiterated by Immigration Minister Phil Woolas last week, in answers to a series of parliamentary questions. This research provides us with important evidence to counter this argument, as it shows that few asylum seekers have the luxury of choice when fleeing for their lives.

21.01.2010