The Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Bishop Paul McAleenan, the lead bishop for migrants and refugees in England and Wales, have joined faith leaders across London in a call for the Home Office to re-examine the situation of newly recognised refugees.
Bishop McAleenan said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of the death of an asylum seeker on board the Bibby Stockholm barge. He called for “an immigration system that defends the fundamental human dignity of those on the move, prioritises the sanctity of life and provides access to decent accommodation and healthcare”.
A recent change in practice has meant that, since August, refugees are having much?less notice that their asylum support will end than the stated policy of 28 days. Some are given seven days or less to leave their accommodation. Many faith organisations support refugees and asylum seekers, and they are seeing demand grow to help those with new refugee status find accommodation. Increasing numbers are becoming street homeless.
In a letter to the Home Office, coordinated by the Bishop of London Sarah Mullally, faith leaders call on the Home Office to “re-examine Home Office practice, and ensure that all refugees have a minimum of 28 days from receiving their biometric residence permit before they are required to leave their asylum accommodation in line with Home Office policy.
“We support the need to move people away from hotels, which are not the most ideal residences for those waiting for asylum,” say the faith leaders. “The move to new accommodation needs to be done with careful planning, consultation with civil society partners and local authorities, and over a longer period than a few days.”
Catholic signatories included Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, chair of Justice and Peace in Westminster and Fr Dominic Howarth, Episcopal Vicar for Youth Ministry and Pastoral Care in Brentwood. Other signatories include Anglican bishops and leaders from the Salvation Army, Baptists, United Reformed Church along with Quakers, rabbis, Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists.
On 18 December, Christian activist at the last of 2023’s monthly vigils for refugees outside the Home Office called for the UK to be “a more welcoming nation”. Representatives of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission, London Catholic Worker and London Churches Refugee Fund were present.
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