Today’s refugees need the opportunities I had

Many years ago, I fled to this country from Afghanistan. Thanks to the support and opportunities offered over the years, I am now CEO of Scottish Refugee Council.

If I arrived today, the picture would  be very different. After the passing of Suella Braverman’s Illegal Migration Act, I would have no way to apply for asylum and I would no doubt be isolated in hostile accommodation, such as barges and ex-military barracks, indefinitely. 

Far from being able to utilise my skills and acquire new ones, contributing to society, paying taxes and working for what I believe in, I would be forced to live at the expense of the taxpayer. I would be banned from working while my case was being decided upon, a process that takes anything from several months to several years. 

There are tens of thousands of people who, like me, have fled wars, oppression and violence, but who are now in limbo: unsafe in their home countries, yet prevented from building a life here. Thousands of people needlessly suffer when they could be achieving their potential, participating in the economy, and enriching communities in the UK with their skills. 

Every day at Scottish Refugee Council, we witness despair from people who came to the UK seeking protection. They are now experiencing prolonged isolation and anxiety, often in unsuitable accommodation and in poverty, while they wait for a decision. 

“We have been told repeatedly: ‘We don’t want handouts, we want to work.’”

Over 175,000 people in the UK are currently waiting. While the rhetoric from the current government and from many media outlets lurches ever further to the right, the skills, talents and experiences of thousands of people who could be contributing to society are being wasted.

Many of the men and women using our services have expressed their frustration at not being able to work and provide for themselves and their families. We have been told repeatedly: “We don’t want handouts, we want to work.”

Instead, the asylum system traps people in a state of enforced poverty. Those in institutional accommodation, such as hotel rooms, live on £9.58 a week and legally can do nothing to earn money. People awaiting decisions have no recourse to public funds and therefore cannot receive universal credit and other benefits.  

The brilliant Lift the Ban campaign proposes that people who have been in the asylum system for six months should be given the right to work. It’s hard to see any downside to this.

For the individual, starting a job or a business can allow them to support themselves and their families, establish a routine, integrate into society and contribute to communities. The consequences for someone’s mental health of being socially isolated, in poverty and unable to work, can be devastating. Employment can be a meaningful step into building a new life in the UK.

“This is a crucial moment of opportunity to rebuild the UK’s asylum system into one that is compassionate, fair, effective and works for everybody.”

Lifting the ban would also make sense economically. Many businesses have vacancies which they are currently unable to fill. Granting the right to work can help employers find the employees they are searching for, improve productivity and raise the GDP. The Lift the Ban coalition estimates that the UK government could gain £333 million per year if the ban was removed.

Lifting the ban is in line with public opinion too. Last year, a YouGov poll showed that 81% of the public are in favour of granting the right to work to people seeking asylum in the UK.

Wilful mismanagement and increasingly hostile policies from the government are causing chaos and misery, and an already bleak picture is getting worse.

With a 2024 general election on the horizon, this is a crucial moment of opportunity to rebuild the UK’s asylum system into one that is compassionate, fair, effective and works for everybody.

Having said that, providing refugee protection should not be a political issue. It’s a matter of common sense and decency. No matter who is in government, we should carry on our proud tradition of offering sanctuary to those who need it.

Policies like the Illegal Migration Act need to be repealed, to make way for workable laws which allow people who have fled their homes to build new lives safely, with dignity and respect.

Lifting the ban on working is a great place to start.

Sabir Zazai is Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council