Dear Friend,
URGENT APPEAL ON BEHALF OF DESTITUTE ASYLUM SEEKERS
We urgently need to find a spare room or similar shelter as well as financial donations for the following clients who have been made absolutely destitute by the government. Like other destitute asylum seekers, they have been left without the basic necessities of food and shelter. They are excluded from the right to work and have no access to housing or benefit payments. Sadly, like many others it is only the support of friends or charities that is preventing them from being forced to rough sleep. Destitute asylum seekers do not even have a right to homeless shelter provision.
Rui, 25 from China
Rui is more than 6 months pregnant, and made an application to the Home Office for ‘hard case’ Section 4 support some weeks ago. This is very basic accommodation with vouchers that can be spent on food only. This is the only avenue left open to Rui after she became too pregnant to continue to sleep on friends floors.
Rui has lived been without any support for more than a year after her asylum application was refused. Volunteers have very kindly accommodated her for two weeks. However, this accommodation is only available until Thursday 29th March. We have been advised that it could take another week for her Section 4 application to be processed and for accommodation then to be provided. Rui Juan desperately needs a spare room or bedspace for this time. She is very quiet and gentle and is in a very vulnerable situation. Please help.
Ndenga, 41 from the Democratic Republic of Congo
Ndenga had been provided hard case support by the Home Office previously. He was then dawn raided in this accommodation after which he was held for 5 months and transferred between different detention centres in Scotland and England. This was despite the fact that he always complied with Home Office instructions and the Home Office always knew where he was.
Eventually, his solicitors were able to establish that his detention was a result of a Home Office administration error. He was delighted to be released from detention last Friday but was shocked to discover, when he returned home, that his flat had been re-let to others. It was only the kindness of the present occupiers who let him sleep on their sofa that prevented him from having to rough sleep over the weekend. We have been warned that renewal of his accommodation will take more than 10 days. In the meantime he is destitute and needs a bedspace or spare room for this period.
Do you have a spare room or space? If you think you or someone you know has a spare room here in Glasgow and are willing to accommodate any of our clients for this interim period then please contact
Positive Action in Housing on 0141 353 2220 or e-mail david@paih.org urgently.
Give a Donation The Hardship Fund supports people in this position by giving small amounts of cash for food and basic essentials. In emergencies we can pay for short term accommodation. We spend upto £1000 per month supporting destitute asylum seekers. We desperately need donations as this work is not funded by any other means.
You can make an online donation by clicking here. Or send a donation by cheque, made out to Positive Action in Housing and marked Hardship Fund on the back, to:
Destitution Appeal
Positive Action in Housing
98 West George Street
Glasgow G2 1PJ
Thank you for your support.
Positive Action in Housing appeals for accommodation for destitute clients in good faith. We realise that accepting someone into your home is not without risk. To minimise this risk we disclose all information we posses about the client to volunteers. We are available to help resolve any concerns. We have never had any difficulties with clients staying with volunteers in this way but ultimate cannot take responsibility for any problems that may arise.
