Yesterday’s tragic incident in Glasgow underlines our concerns about the conditions in which vulnerable asylum seekers are forced to live.
The Park Inn Hotel is one of several in Glasgow used by the Mears Group – a Home Office sub-contracted asylum landlord with a multimillion-pound contract to accommodate asylum seekers in Scotland and elsewhere across the U.K.
In April, 370 asylum seekers in Glasgow were forcibly moved by Mears, with only an hour or so’s notice, four or five to a van, into cheap hotels where social distancing is impossible and also had their meagre allowance of £5.39 a day stopped.
The asylum seekers have lived like this for over three months now, unable to socially distance, buy crucial mobile phone top-ups, to keep in touch with lawyers and family back home etc.
Concerns have been raised over people’s mental health. In May there were calls for an inquiry after a suicidal Syrian Refugee Adnan Elbi was found dead in a guest house that Mears moved asylum seekers into with no social distancing and no money.
On Wednesday 24 June, Mears Group were forced to admit they failed to carry out vulnerability assessments of asylum seekers before moving them during the Lockdown.
Many asylum seekers complained of “hotel detention”, of being denied urgent medical attention, of being told to stay in their rooms, of insanitary conditions and deteriorating mental health.
Since the pandemic, the numbers of people reporting to our charity about depression, suicidal thoughts and worries about money and complete isolation has rocketed. People are unable to socially distance and live in fear.
The Home Office removed their meagre £5.39 a day when people were moved within hours to these hotels, and even worse this is still the case today.
We are now aware of letters being sent to asylum seekers in hotels asking them why they should not be told to leave (and face destitution) by the end of this month. This amounts to undue mental stress and pressure being place on people who may be suffering trauma, reliving past torture or suicidal thoughts or depression, as well as enduring months or years of waiting for their asylum papers so they can get work and start their lives, and fulfil responsibilities to family back home.
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Just watched Roninas appearance on Sky News and she was absolutely justified in her comments about the callous indifference of Meres towards the refugees. Little wonder why they declined to be on the programme with Robina. They ought to be removed from the role they have in the welfare of these poor people.
Please see Sky report on Glasgow stabbings. 27/6/20
Robina’s report on treatment of sick refugee led to these stabbings. Many warnings were given to all involved with this poor sick person. He was treated completely inhumane before he broke down.