Thread by @RefugeeAction

Giving people seeking asylum the right to work is worth £300 million a year to the Treasury.

So today we're asking: Jeremy Hunt, do you want this cheque?

#LiftTheBan #AutumnStatement

Here's how we reached the figure of £300 million. 🧮

It's based on national insurance and income tax contributions if half of the 69,593 working-age people waiting more than six months for a decision on their asylum claim found work.

Once able to support themselves, people would no longer need asylum support payments from the government.

So we added that saving onto the final amount as well. The grand total was £308,472,107.

People seeking asylum want to work and earn for themselves, so if the ban were lifted our conservative estimate of 50% working could well be too low!

This policy change has wide-ranging backing across society and politics.

Here's @JimBethell writing in support of #LiftTheBan for @ConHome.

conservativehome.com/2022/11/16/jam…

It's very popular with the public! 81% of people polled in March supported it.

It's supported by unions, such as @unisontheunion.

And businesses back #LiftTheBan alongside unions.

https://twitter.com/Lord_Bilimoria/status/1505842001413033986?s=20&t=X16TsyFdBrDphvc98zXccw

So with all the talk of tough decisions around Jeremy Hunt's #AutumnStatement, how about an easy one?

🟨#LiftTheBan 🟨

The cheque is written, we just need the government to cash it.