Thread by @SqueakinglyJen

So much about the immigration and asylum system is just completely unknown to people day to day. Some examples:

Asylum seekers are housed only if they have no £ or friends to stay with. Many asylum seekers are never housed by the state because they have somewhere to go. Asylum housing is usually very low quality in a random location so if it can be avoided people do.

Asylum housing is based on destitution and is ONLY while a claim is pending. People aren't allowed to work or claim benefits while waiting, but they also can't go to any other country (and say they are in danger in their home country), but it's a political decision

There are very limited and strict powers to house refused asylum seekers, but only really while their fresh claim is pending or while they are being removed from the UK. Refugees (accepted asylum claims) can apply for social housing, but are in the same position as everyone else.

When an asylum seeker's claim is refused any asylum housing they get is stopped, sometimes almost immediately. It can take a lot of work over weeks or months to prepare a fresh claim and in the meantime they are expected to live on the streets. Sometimes charities or hosts help.

Even when an asylum seeker is granted leave their housing is stopped quickly, so again they often become street homeless - and that's even when they're recognised as a survivor of persecution and extremely vulnerable.

The cost of housing lots of asylum seekers is solely a political decision. Other visa applications are turned around quickly - sometimes even in just one day - so it is a political decision to keep asylum seekers waiting months or years with the public paying for housing.

Even asylum seekers who have ££ when they arrive or a friend to stay with, can find themselves homeless and running out of money if they're left years without a visa decision. The government need to begin to make these decisions within a few months not years!

One really important point about asylum seekers is that most are from countries like Afghanistan where they will just be recognised as refugees. Refugees eventually get settlement in the UK and they and their kids become British. There is absolutely no benefit mistreating them.

The way people are disrespected in the asylum process - the lack of anyone to contact to sort anything out, the random delays and arbitrary, low quality decision-making - just would not be tolerated in any other government department. All made worse by the collapse of legal aid.

If there's something you wanted to ask about the UK asylum system or policy, or you want to know what the law says about an issue then feel free to ask. I will not however reply to far-right armchair racists asking questions in bad faith.

Getting a few questions about why people don't stay in France, so just linking in this thread where I've discussed that previously. In international law the test for asylum allows refugees to choose which country they wish to seek safety in.