The riots last summer, which took place after the murder of three girls in Southport Dance classes, have led to a deterioration in the mental health of asylum seekers, and many fear walking down the streets in case they are targeted by far-right protesters.
A report from the Mental Health Foundation, released Tuesday, identified a decline in mental health for asylum seekers as a result of civil unrest and attacks on hotels compared to their mental health status when it published a similar report in February 2024.
“We’ve seen a lot of people who have had a lot of trouble with us,” said Mark Roland, CEO of the Mental Health Foundation. “A significant development since the last report is that the racist riots of the summer of 2024 have had a terrible impact on the mental health of many people seeking asylum in the UK, some said they are at risk of increasing accommodation.
He added: “There has been an increase in the environment of hostility, especially on social media, which played a key role in escalating tensions. Particularly on platforms like X, racist rhetoric has surged.
The report also sought that asylum seekers have the right to work in any job if they have not processed the claim within six months. The data is based on Calculations by the Institute of Economic and Social Studies.
By allowing asylum seekers to work six months later, the figures say it saves the country £4.4 billion in government spending, increases the economy by £1 billion, increases tax revenue by £880 million, reduces mental health impacts for asylum seekers, promotes better integration, and reduces reliance on taxpayer support.
The report warned that preventing asylum seekers from getting a job leads to “stasis of no work.” It echoes Lift the prohibition The campaign is a coalition of over 300 charities, trade unions, businesses, faith groups and think tanks, urging the government to allow asylum seekers to work in a wider range of industries.
Under current rules, only asylum seekers eligible for shortage occupations can apply for employment if the asylum claim is not determined one year later. In fact, this system forbids a lot of work.
Roland added: “It’s easy to give asylum seekers the right to work, and everyone can benefit when they can give asylum seekers, businesses, government, the NHS, our community, and asylum seekers the ability to support themselves.
Through programs across the UK, the Foundation for Asylum seekers and refugees with mental health highlighted the acute poverty faced by asylum seekers who have to choose to skip meals or pay bus fares in their report.
Some felt that the term “asylum seeker” condemned them. One child said she told researchers that she was an asylum seeker from a friend at school, fearing that she would be ruled out by them if she spoke about her immigration status.
A spokesman for the home office said: “The happiness of people in the asylum system is important, but we continue to resolve to continue to crack down on people who work illegally in the UK. Certainly we are not going to create a first-track process, as people coming to the UK are allowed to ignore them outside of established work visa rules.”
