Barriers and Bridges to Wellbeing

Updated 25 February 2023: Vulnerable asylum seekers ‘prisoners in their own homes’ after fleeing war zones

As many asylum seekers say they have been placed in unsuitable properties littered with tripping hazards, an expert blamed the system which she says ‘creates a hostile environment’

Alimony Bangura, a disabled asylum seeker from Sierra Leone, is living in Manchester (

Disabled asylum seekers who fled war zones for the safety of Britain say they have been left as prisoners in their own homes.

Many claim they have been placed in unsuitable properties that are littered with tripping hazards and have broken lifts.

One disabled man told how he fell while trying to reach his upstairs bathroom.

And a blind refugee said he could only go out once a week with the aid of carers.

Their misery continues despite a 2020 court case which found the Government failed to provide disabled-friendly digs.

Campaigners say they have warned Home Secretary Suella Braverman of a string of cases across the country.

Worryingly, there is no official record of how many asylum seekers are disabled.

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Migration Health and Care

PICUM: FINLAND: NEW LAW EXPANDS HEALTH CARE FOR UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS

new law has recently come into force in Finland that expands health care for undocumented migrants living in the country. Under this law, undocumented people can now access necessary care – that is, care that health care professionals deem necessary. This covers, for instance, conditions like diabetes or asthma that, if left untreated, would constitute a risk to the person’s health and increase the likelihood of urgent care being needed in the future.

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Concerns about the use of army barracks, hotels, housing

This post is being updated with reports of examples of atrocities around the army camp accommodation and hotels, and other Home Office housing

For information about Detention Centres – IRCs – Hassockfield/Derwentside please see here: https://statusnow4all.org/detention-centres-ircs/

For information about off-shoring/exporting people seeking asylum/Rwanda please see here: https://statusnow4all.org/exporting-people-seeking-asylum-rwanda/:


Update 16 December 2022: from our signatory organisation RAPAR:

PRESS RELEASE from @raparuk 16th Dec. 2022: Whistleblower speaks out about safeguarding, racism and scabies at Serco’s asylum “hotel” in Warrington

https://buff.ly/3hygtgQ

and:

Please help raise money for Shay Babagar and @RAPARUK to build on Shay’s 35-day hunger strike to challenge Serco’s treatment of ‘hotel’ residents seeking asylum.
Justgiving: https://buff.ly/3BDx5dO

Campaign flyer: https://buff.ly/3j4CG6D
About campaign: https://buff.ly/3VYnZ3B


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UK Covid-19 Inquiry: Share your experience

21 November 2022: From the UK Covid-19 Inquiry: Share your experience

We are inviting you to tell us about your experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic. By taking part, you help us to understand the effect of Covid-19, the response of the authorities, and any lessons that can be learned.

‘Share your experience’ is an online form that asks you to choose from a list of topics and then tell us about what happened. We’ll also ask you some questions about yourself and your circumstances. These questions are optional, but very helpful if answered, as they help us to build a full picture of how Covid-19 affected people with different characteristics and circumstances across the UK.

We’re working to improve this service. After sharing your experience you can send us feedback that will help shape what we build for the next version.

At this time you must be aged 18 or over to share your experience. Your answers will be saved anonymously.

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Precarious migrants and COVID-19 responses: leave no one behind

Science Direct: Precarious migrants and COVID-19 responses: leave no one behind

Authors: M.-C.Van Hout C.Bigland A.Marsden A.Bangura F.Ngcobo L.M.Mponela G.McMahon

The continuous rise in forced displacement worldwide is alarming. Global inequality continues to fuel migration. The most recent Global Trends report by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reveals a concerning rise in forced displacement globally, with 82.4 million people displaced worldwide, with children representing 42%, with 1 million born in displacement between 2018 and 2020. According to the United Nations Migration Agency’s (IOM) World Migration Report 2022, global displacement is rising despite COVID-19 restrictions.

Estimating the numbers of precarious migrants is difficult. The population is de facto hidden. In Europe, it is estimated that between 3.9 and 4.8 million precarious migrants lived in Europe in 2017, an increase on 2014, but stable since 2016. In the United Kingdom, the estimated population of precarious migrants ranges between 417,000 and 863,000, including a population of UK-born children ranging between 44,000 and 144,000.

Read more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350622000828

ICIBI: Second annual inspection of ‘Adults at risk in immigration detention’ and more

Updated 1 April 2022: Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration: ICIBI Inspection Plan 2022-23: #ICIBI


The Plan includes completed reports that are with the Home Secretary awaiting publication and inspections that were started in 2022-23 and will report over the next few months. These two may be of particular interest:

A (re)inspection of the Home Office response to small boat arrivals
An inspection of Home Office operations to effect the removal of Foreign National Offender.

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EDM #1442: Undocumented migrants and covid-19 vaccination

Early Day Motion 1442 tabled on 3 February 2021: Undocumented migrants and covid-19 vaccination

Motion text: That this House believes that access to essential healthcare is a universal human right; regrets the continued existence of structural, institutional and systemic barriers in accessing NHS care experienced by undocumented migrants and those awaiting determination of their asylum, visa and immigration applications; considers that an effective public health response to the covid-19 crisis requires that the most vulnerable can afford to access food, healthcare, and self-isolate where necessary; understands that some of the most vulnerable people in society will not access vaccination against the virus, since to disclose their identity to the authorities would risk their arrest, detention and deportation; fears that without urgent Government intervention this will lead to further avoidable premature deaths, especially in the African, Asian and Minority Ethnic population; and therefore calls on the Home Office to grant everyone currently in the UK at this time who are undocumented migrants and those awaiting determination of their asylum, visa and immigration applications indefinite leave to remain, and to be eligible in due course to receive the covid-19 vaccination.

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JCWI report launch: “We also want to be safe”

Event: Tuesday 18 January 2022: JCWI: Report launch: “We also want to be safe”: undocumented migrants facing COVID in a Hostile Environment

New research from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants shines a spotlight on the devastating impact of Hostile Environment policies on undocumented migrants during the pandemic. Join us on Tuesday 18 January 2022 for the launch of the new report.

Chaired by Clive Lewis MP
With guests:

  • Caitlin Boswell, report author
  • Francesca Humi, Kanlungan Filipino Consortium, contributor to the report
  • Blessing, contributor to the report

“We also want to be safe”: undocumented migrants facing COVID in a Hostile Environment

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COVID-19 has also laid bare existing fault lines within society and has exacerbated inequalities.

Updated 11 November 2021: Kanlungan Filipino Consortium@kanlunganuk From today, care home workers must prove they are double jabbed through the NHS COVID pass but for people who don’t have a GP or NHS number, this will be impossible. Our Advocacy and Campaigns Officer explains here why barriers to healthcare for migrants must be removed (South East London BBC News)

NEON@NEON_UK · : We really need to focus on making sure that health care is accessible to all in this country, especially in the pandemic. It’s just another example of how the government’s immigration policy makes no sense from a public health perspective. @FrancescaHumi on @BBCNews today.

Continue reading “COVID-19 has also laid bare existing fault lines within society and has exacerbated inequalities.”

Is personal data of those seeking access to NHS services shared with immigration enforcement authorities.

Updated 20 October 2021: The Information Commissioners Office has commented recently about The Data Sharing Code of Practice, which is a statutory code made under section 121 of the Data Protection Act 2018 that was first published by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in December 2020 and came into force on 5 October 2021 saying that “data sharing must engender trust in how personal data is used in order to drive innovation, economic growth and the delivery of more efficient and targeted services.

In the ICO’s view, data sharing will be central to the United Kingdom’s recovery from the covid-19 pandemic.”

Status Now notes that the absence of firewall between health and immigration data and the Government’s drive to implement its ‘status checking’ project undermines any potential for engendering trust.

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-sharing-information-hub/

Continue reading “Is personal data of those seeking access to NHS services shared with immigration enforcement authorities.”

Access to healthcare at the point of need?

Updated 24 September 2021: Bare Life films: NHS Borderlands – An investigative documentary into the human cost of charging migrants for accessing the NHS

After fleeing persecution in Zimbabwe in fear for her life, Angela sought asylum in the UK where she has lived with her husband for 20 years. Following a vital hysterectomy operation Angela is – without warning – issued a bill for £8,000 by the NHS, jeopardizing her life in the UK forever. Angela’s story exposes the real cost of the recent introduction of NHS charges for migrants, where discrimination undermines our society’s commitment to universal healthcare. The most vulnerable are left unable to pay and scared to seek care. There are many stories like Angela’s, most untold and undocumented. This film documents how healthcare workers and campaigners are fighting alongside Angela to keep the border out of hospitals.

Contact Bare Life films for more information:

About Bare Life films:

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Justice for Simba: Carnival of Resistance to the Hostile Environment in the NHS

Event organised by SNN signatories: Docs Not CopsMedact ,Migrants Organise, and also Justice for Simba🎉✊🏿🏥 Justice for Simba: Carnival of Resistance to the Hostile Environment in the NHS 📅✊🏿🎉 Sat 18th September ✨ Join the action in solidarity!

On 18th September, the Justice for Simba campaign are hosting a carnival of resistance to the Hostile Environment in the NHS, taking place in Sheffield. Join us to take action in solidarity against racist immigration policies in healthcare – wherever you are!

Meet at 2pm, Devonshire Green! There will be music, dancing, speeches, and a spirit of solidarity and resistance to hostile and cruel immigration policies! We will then hand in Simba’s petition to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

👉🏾 Here’s what you need to do! 👈🏾
⭐️ Sign and share Simba’s petition on your social media and with your friends and colleagues – we want to hit 70,000 signatures to hand in! http://change.org/justiceforsimba
⭐️ Spread the word https://linktr.ee/JusticeForSimba
⭐️ Print and share Simba’s poster! So we can share pics on the day https://tinyurl.com/SimbaPosters

Our friend Simba has been charged over £100,000 for his life-saving treatment following a stroke — all because of his immigration status. Two years on, Simba is fighting for his recovery but Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is still chasing him for payment.

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Scores of GP surgeries that wrongly refuse to register undocumented migrants rated ‘good’ by CQC

4 September 2021: Independent: Exclusive: Scores of GP surgeries that wrongly refuse to register undocumented migrants rated ‘good’ by CQC

Failure by watchdog to ‘properly scrutinise’ GP registration processes will mean vulnerable people continue to be denied medical care in breach of NHS guidance, health campaigners warn

Scores of GP surgeries are rated “good” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for the care they provide to vulnerable people despite wrongly refusing to register undocumented migrants, new analysis shows.

Health campaigners have raised concerns about the “lack of proper scrutiny” of GP practices that decline to register people because they cannot show ID or proof of address, 

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/gp-surgeries-undocumented-migrants-healthcare-uk-b1912319.html

Living Precariously or Health and Safety for All – a call for Indefinite Leave to Remain now

29 August 2021: StatusNow4All: Living Precariously or Health and Safety for All – a call for Indefinite Leave to Remain now

The asylum system is broken: there is a backlog of around 70,000 asylum applications which the newly arriving current Afghan applicants are expected to join. On 16 August 2021 the Home Office suspended its decision-making processes relating to asylum applications made by people from Afghanistan by withdrawing that country’s policy and guidance.  It is a gross miscarriage of natural justice to suspend legal process for those waiting for decisions or appeal hearings or in detention when a simple decision could immediately be put into effect – a grant of Indefinite Leave to Remain. 

This is why StatusNow4All calls for ALL those who do not have settled status to be given Leave to Remain. It is imperative for the Government to exercise its authority immediately by granting Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and the right of access to Family Reunion as a matter of urgency to all people from Afghanistan who are currently in the UK. With political will, this can be done: nothing less than ILR will give people equitable access to healthcare, housing and food. 

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