Asylum seekers can’t afford clothes or toiletries’ on 8 a week government support

Asylum seekers say they cannot afford the clothes and toiletries they need, or to leave their accommodation, as they survive on as little as 8 a week and living costs continue to soar.

- ZOE TIDMAN

People who have fled their home countries say they are struggling to get by on their government allowance and are unable to do anything about it while banned from working.

One man said he is spending much of his life indoors” in his asylum hotel, shared with hundreds because he cannot afford to do much else. Others say they feel isolated” and mentally suffering” due to being stuck in similar situations. The Independent has already revealed a growing backlog of asylum claims, leaving people stuck in limbo for months and even years as they wait for decisions on their refugee statuses.

Asylum seekers receive 40.85 a week for living expenses, which is 1.22 more than last year. For those in temporary hotels, meals are provided, so asylum support is lower at 8.24 per week, a rise of 24p on last year. The Office for National Statistics announced just this week that inflation had hit 11.1 per cent another 40-year high.

Matthew not his real name) is an asylum seeker from Ghana, where he was concerned for his safety as a gay man. He has been in the UK for years and says a previous asylum claim was rejected because of a lack of evidence” about his sexuality. He is waiting for the Home Office to consider a fresh asylum claim and is living in a hotel in London, getting by on just over 8 a week. It is a stressful” situation, he says.