Today I'm bringing out new research on migrant experiences during the pandemic, focusing on the impact of having No Recourse to Public Funds, which applies to all migrants by default until they get indefinite leave to remain, which takes 5 or 10 years depending on their visa...
If you have No Recourse to Public Funds, you cannot access most benefits. This forces migrants into poverty, and in the pandemic has made it harder for them to keep themselves and our communities safe.
This has impacted migrants at work & in their homes, it affects everything.
This has impacted migrants at work & in their homes, it affects everything.
Migrants with NRPF cant get housing benefit.
Among those surveyed in my research, they were 52% more likely than migrants who were allowed to claim benefits to say they would not be able self isolate safely in their home if they, or a member of their household needed to.
Among those surveyed in my research, they were 52% more likely than migrants who were allowed to claim benefits to say they would not be able self isolate safely in their home if they, or a member of their household needed to.
Some of the hardest hit industries in this pandemic, like hospitality and cleaning, are industries that employ the highest proportions of migrant workers. 30% of hospitality workers are migrants.
In my survey, a third had lost their jobs in the pandemic.
In my survey, a third had lost their jobs in the pandemic.
Migrant workers on NRPF who have lost their jobs because the lockdowns have caused much of their industries to shut down cannot claim Universal Credit or income-based Job Seekers Allowance.
For many of these people, losing work can mean facing destitution.
For many of these people, losing work can mean facing destitution.
As with other parts of the hostile environment, the bar on migrants accessing welfare is designed not only to target the people it is "supposed to", but to create a climate of fear.
British people with migrant family members told me about their fear of needing benefits.
British people with migrant family members told me about their fear of needing benefits.
People reported a great deal of confusion, a significant number of those surveyed didnt know that they were entitled to benefits, even when they were.
This echoes our findings from the other week,about migrants fearing accessing healthcare, even where entitled to it.
This echoes our findings from the other week,about migrants fearing accessing healthcare, even where entitled to it.
This pandemic has shown us how much we rely on often low-paid, often migrant frontline workers, and how vulnerable we all are to a crisis where we could lose our job through no fault of our own.
Under these circumstances many more people understand the cruelty of NRPF.
Under these circumstances many more people understand the cruelty of NRPF.
The government says you can apply to have NRPF conditions lifted, but to achieve that you need to prove you're at the point of destitution, most people dont know and dont have the support to make that application even at that point.
The solution is to scrap this cruel policy.
The solution is to scrap this cruel policy.
Please sign and share our @JCWI_UK petition calling for NRPF to be suspended while the economic shock of this pandemic continues to wreck frontline workers' lives and threaten their livelihoods.
https://twitter.com/ZoeJardiniere/status/1366288649780924417?s=19
Read the full report right here 👇
And please don't forget to sign and share the petition with everyone you know! Let's force them to face up to their hypocrisy! jcwi.org.uk/no-recourse-to…
And please don't forget to sign and share the petition with everyone you know! Let's force them to face up to their hypocrisy! jcwi.org.uk/no-recourse-to…
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