Thread by @CaptainKim

RIGHT. i am so fucking angry. We have established that Trump is a monster, yes? Let's talk about my past 24 hours and what that says about our esteemed UK government
1/

So Tuesday night i got a call from a church minister in a total panic because one of her congregation had recieved a letter, out of nowhere, saying her she had 24 hours to vacate her accommodation because her asylum support was being stopped.
2/

Her support (a whole £35/week) plus accomodation, was being immediately removed because they did not believe she was destitute. One of their reasons was she had toys (handmedowns from a kind neighbour) & money in her account - money she had recieved from the home office
3/

So because she could not prove her destitution according to their insane criteria they decided to MAKE HER AND HER 4 KIDS HOMELESS AND DESTITUTE. With 24 HOURS notice.
Before her 3 days to appeal rights were even close to up.
4/

The letter had no email address, no phone number, no way of contacting except to send said appeal by POST. Which would be impossible within 24 hours. She was advised to FAX an appeal to a number NOT ON THE LETTER. A FAX. I have never even TOUCHED a fax machine.
5/

So there she was, out of her mind with worry. Oh yes also she's a single parent, she has an 8 year old, a 5 yo who is severely autistic (& so incredibly sensitive to disruption) & twin toddlers (omg). She has also survived horrific domestic violence, sexual assault, & abuse.
6/

(As an interlude i need to say how in awe i am of this lady, her strength and courage and parenting skills are just out of this world. She used to run her own small business, she is articulate and clever and hospitable and kind. It was a pleasure to spend my day with her)
7/

... anyway i went to her home yesterday morning, to try to work out a support plan, so that if Serco showed up there was Cllr observing their behaviour, and so that if they were made homeless i could ensure immediate social work support
8/

- let's pause here to observe that Glasgow City Council would be picking up the bill if the Home Office made this family homeless. The UK government is literally pushing people through the cracks + local authorities are financially penalised for not being so fucking inhumane
9/

- let us also observe that if there were no kids involved the council would not be able to give her accomodation. Also if she was (now) fleeing domestic abuse she would not be able to go to a shelter because she is not eligible for housing benefits. Yes, things are that bad.
10/

So - long day of emails and phone calls and then a wonderful lady from her church was there to watch most of the kids while i took this lady & kid to @GovanCP , who were just incredible. They met us, applied for an emergency grant, gave £ for food + an appt for the next day.
11/

We went home with cake from the foodbank 😁 & via aldi for essentials. Lady has been through hell but thanks to the support she'll now receive to fight for her £ to be reinstated, thinks she will be able to sleep. Meanwhile locks were unchanged, nobody showed. Scare tactics
12/

So that was yesterday. And THEN on my way home today i met our neighbour who was frantic that he's not seen me around (i've been away) - what if i had moved and he had nobody? He is also an asylum seeker & is living in limbo, waiting for news that his case is being looked at.
13/

He has been living with toothache for maybe 7 weeks because he is waiting for a form from the Home Office to give him access to dental treatment. He was recently given a card to say he was allowed to work, but now they have sent him a new one saying he is not allowed to.
14/

He is bored. Fed up. Hungry. His wife is the same - he tells me they have nothing to do but quarrel because they are under so much pressure. They have a kid - the cutest, smartest, daughter, who comes to ours to play with/terrorise our cat & laugh at our music choices
15/

Today he said he is struggling with school holidays. "There are free things to do - but what if, when we're out, we see someone with a lolly? Or she wants some candy? How can i say i can't afford it? I feel so ashamed. So perhaps it's better for her to be inside & not see."
16/

And then he said that while we were away they had their big interview with the Home Office. (They had first been summoned months ago, went through sleepness nights, showed up, to find the wrong interpreter provided. Interview postponed - back home. More waiting.)
17/

So last week they went back again. He was grilled for 8.5 hours, with 1 hour break & one further 15mins. His wife had 6.5 hours. No kids allowed, but no childcare. They questioned every minute detail. He was so exhausted when he got home he didn't speak for 2 days.
18/

And then - after he explained the danger they fled from, after he explained that as both religious and cultural minorities they could not possibly be safe in their country of origin - he said that he had also brought his daughter away because of the threat of FGM.
19/

We were standing in the sunlight but suddenly the world went grey as i realised the gorgeous kid who made me a birthday card last month would have been mutilated as soon as she hit puberty - could still face this if they are put on a plane.
20/

And then - i don't know if i can type this because i am shaking - the interviewers said:
"But 98% of the people in your country do FGM. Why is this a problem?"
It took me several minutes to understand. UK HOME OFFICE AGENTS ASKED HIM WHY HAVING HIS DAUGHTER CUT WAS AN ISSUE.
21/

This is our UK government.

This is what they are doing to people - people who live in your close, whose kids are pals with your kids, people who are just trying to live their lives and fucking survive.

This has been ONE DAY.

This is our government.

/end