Thread by @RefugeeAction

Giving people seeking asylum the right to work is common sense. The new #LiftTheBan coalition report shows how clear the evidence is. We’d challenge anyone to read this thread summarising the report and disagree. 1/13

refugee-action.org.uk/common-sense/

The case for lifting the ban has always been strong, but our new findings make it undeniable. Giving people seeking the right to work now would benefit the treasury to the tune of £97.8 million per year. More than double our 2018 estimate. 2/13

Banned from working means banned from contributing to the UK even in crises like the coronavirus. Our report shows that 45% of the people seeking asylum we surveyed would qualify as critical workers during the pandemic. 3/13

And 1 in 7 of the people we spoke to in our skills audit had worked in health or social care, exactly the kind of work experience that a pandemic demands. 4/13

Public support for giving people seeking asylum the right to work remains high, at 71%. #LiftTheBan 5/13

And, crucially, that high support is mirrored in the backing of UK businesses. 67% of the 1,000 business leaders asked supported our campaign, with 66% saying they’d consider hiring a person seeking asylum. 6/13

Some say that lifting the ban would create a ‘pull factor’ encouraging more people to claim asylum in the UK. But that would require prior knowledge of the rules before arriving. The facts just don’t back it up. 7/13

On a human level, our current rules choose to prevent people seeking asylum who want to contribute to society from doing so. People like Joyce. 8/13

Not having the right to work means people seeking asylum have to live off just £5.66 per day in Asylum Support payments while waiting for a decision on their claim. More than 60% are forced to survive on this pittance for more than 6 months. 9/13

The UK is choosing to be an outlier in the harshness of our rules. Only after 12 months can people even apply for jobs from an incredibly restrictive list. It’s effectively a complete ban for the vast majority of people and it’s way out of step internationally. 10/13

Common sense:

Lifting the ban would give people seeking asylum a chance to integrate into their communities, live in dignity and use their skills to benefit the UK. 11/13

Common sense:

Lifting the ban would improve people seeking asylum’s mental health and put more money into the treasury. It’s supported by both the public and businesses. 12/13

The Prime Minister regularly reminds us of his pride in British common sense. Will the Government show it and #LiftTheBan?

act.refugee-action.org.uk/page/29178/pet…