Supporting safer asylum accommodation

Many constituents have contacted Will to share their views and concerns about asylum accommodation. Below is the response Will has been sending to constituents who have written in on this matter, setting out his position and the Liberal Democrats’ approach.

The Liberal Democrats agree that the UK’s asylum system is broken. Years of mismanagement and neglect have left it in crisis. Wrap-around support for asylum seekers was cut by the Conservatives, a cruel and short-sighted decision that has worsened the situation for thousands of vulnerable people.
 
The Conservatives trashed the asylum system, triggering spiralling backlogs and the costly legacy of asylum hotels, while Labour has so far failed to get a grip on the crisis. The Lib Dems are disappointed that the Labour Government has responded to this rhetoric with counterproductive policies like the immediate suspension of family reunion pathways and reducing the move-on period for new refugees, rather than properly challenging Reform and the Conservatives.
  
This is a humanitarian crisis purposefully created by the former Conservative government. As a direct result of their decision to stop processing asylum claims, more than 90,000 people are now stuck in the Home Office’s asylum backlog awaiting an initial decision. Of these, over half have been waiting more than six months, and over a quarter more than a year. Thousands are living in unsuitable accommodation, unable to work or rebuild their lives, and many now live in fear due to rising protests and intimidation outside asylum hotels.
 
That is why we are calling for:

• The Government to declare the asylum backlog a national emergency.
• The immediate establishment of Nightingale processing centres to clear the asylum backlog within six months.
• An end to the use of asylum hotels by speeding up application processing so people aren’t left in limbo. Those with valid claims should be allowed to work, integrate, and contribute to society, while those without a right to remain should be returned swiftly.
• The lifting of the ban on employment for asylum seekers who have waited over three months for a decision.
• The immediate restoration of family reunification pathways for refugees.

 
Everyone deserves to live free from fear and discrimination, and we remain committed to treating all people with dignity, empathy, and respect throughout the asylum process.
 
The Lib Dems are calling on the UK Government to reject the politics of division offered by Reform and the Conservatives and instead build an asylum system that reflects Britain’s values of compassion, fairness, and decency.
 
Kind regards,
 
Will

Will Forster
Member of Parliament for Woking 

Will is grateful to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch. Hearing directly from constituents helps inform his work in Parliament and his ongoing engagement with the Government on issues that matter to Woking.