8,000 granted assisted asylum

Ian Craig

May 25, 2004

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MORE than 8,000 asylum seekers are being given government help to live in the north west, according to the latest government figures.

Although the number of asylum applications, including dependents, fell by 20 per cent in the first quarter of this year to 10,585, the north west still has the third highest number.

There are 7,835 asylum seekers being supported in special accommodation in the region, with another 905 getting cash help from the state.

An independent report today found that the government asylum statistics are broadly reliable, at a time when applications are continuing to fall.

Nationally, the number of applications, not including dependents, has dropped by 17 per cent to 8,940, which is down by 44 per cent on the same quarter last year.

And 80 per cent of decisions on new cases are now being made within two months.

Subsistence

The largest number of asylum seekers supported in accommodation in Greater Manchester is in the city itself, which has 1,405, followed by Salford with 965 and Bolton with 780.

Others: Bury 565, Oldham 615, Rochdale 420, Stockport 255, Tameside 285, Trafford 100, Wigan 720.

In addition, there are a number of asylum seekers getting subsistence without accommodation: Manchester 405, Bolton 40, Oldham 20, Salford 70, Stockport 20 and Trafford 25.

The National Audit Office today said that the government's asylum statistics were broadly reliable and the Home Office Minister Des Browne, who took over from the former minister Beverley Hughes (MP for Stretford and Urmston), said he was pleased that they had confirmed that the figures were reliable.

He said: "The government has dramatically cut asylum applications and the latest figures show that we are continuing to make progress in cutting the numbers of those who seeks to abuse the system."

Mr Brown added that more than 17,000 failed asylum seekers and dependents had been removed in the last year, but he said there was still more to be done to make it easier to remove people who have no legal right to be in this country.

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ANNOYED, Gtr. Manchester (25/05/2004 at 20:54)

GREAT! You support them but when it comes to British national whoe's lived here and worked here paying into the system you give him nothing when he needs help. This country stinks. Can I claim political asylum becasue I'm being persecuted by my own country as I'm not from abroad??? These things make me mad, it's all wrong. I can't afford to live anywhere and am forced to move back home yet if you're from abroad it's, 'Welcome to Britian, we'll set you up with a house, give you free driving lessons, give you a car, loads of money and tax cuts'. No wonder we're seen as the land of milk and honey, COZ WE ARE! Get our priorities right, charity starts at home! How about housing all these poor homeless people on the streets in Manchester eh?? Oh I forgot, councils have to leave so many properties empty to fill with asylum seekers and refugees. Makes you wonder why you pay NI. You don't get anything in return, it's spent on all the scum of this country and wasters from other countries.

Linda, Ashton (26/05/2004 at 10:12)

The BNP must be thrilled that they dont have to do the hard job of recruiting more voters when people read stuff like this.
Although many dont like the BNP I think there will be lots of protests votes for them when the elections come around.

Angry, South Manchester (26/05/2004 at 14:10)

I will never foget when my parents said to me it's the worst thing we could do building a channel tunnel! How right they were!

Instead of taking Asylum Seekers in why don't we address the countries there coming from and spend the money on trying to resolve the problems there.

Its an absolute joke! and its getting worse! We will be the minority in our own country soon then god help us!

Citizen against litter, Levenshulme (26/05/2004 at 14:19)

Good on the North West for showing compassion and welcome to those evading persecution in their own country. I think myself extremely fortunate to live in a democracy where if we do feel hard done by we have the freedom to speak out about it. I can't imagine how it must feel to have to flee everything and everyone you know to face an uncertain future in a different country. I consider myself lucky that I am unlikely to ever have to face that scenario and so should 'Annoyed'.

Researcher of asylum seeking children, Liverpool (27/05/2004 at 09:55)

I am disappointed to read such nationalistic, racist, bigotted, selfish and grossly ignorant comments from manchester. Thank your stars you'll never have to go throough what these people have. Criminals are treated better than refugees. Just for your own knoweldge, asylum seekers get 70% of income support, they are not allowed to work. They are also shocked that one of the richest countries has a homeless population. I wonder if you would leave your community, friends, family, children behind to go on a hungry, exploitative, dangerous journey just for benefits.

feed up, north west (27/05/2004 at 15:58)

Still 8000 too many! This country neither has the room for these people nor can afford them. I read in the local press today that Bolton Royal Hospital cannot afford to operate a scan machine, some of the money given away to these people would pay for that machine to be fully operative instead of standing idle, instead of keeping people who need these treatments waiting over 12 months.
Enough is enough it's about time some of our so called European partners dealt with these problems and took there share of the immigrants flooding our shores. They must laugh at our ridicules system which attracts scroungers from around the world, and the legal people making thousands out of defending these illegal immigrants.
Yes I know that some are genuine before the do-gooders start, but you cannot, and will never convince me the vast majority all are!
What about our own genuine homeless people who helps them apart from the Salvation Army, who's looking after local people who cannot afford to buy there own homes in the towns they were born in. Who's looking after our elderly when they fear switching the heating on because of its costs, and because they are too proud to ask for handouts? Who's helping the thousands who have been cheated out of pensions?
If our country was in the state they let there own country's fall into, would these people offer their lands & money our way I doubt it very much. They should stay at home and sort out their own affairs and make there home lands stronger for there children and contribute to the world instead of begging from it.

George, Blackley, Manchester (27/05/2004 at 23:12)

I feel sorry for the genuine asylum seekers. The system is heavily abused by people people who are not real asylum seekers and just want free handouts, medical care, housing, schooling etc... from our country. Why cross 10 countries to get to this one ? Mmmmmmmmmm

feed up of all the tripe about asylum seekers, north west (28/05/2004 at 12:39)

8000 too many!

ANNOYED, Gtr. Manchster (28/05/2004 at 16:06)

Fed up, north west, I agree with you but you best watch you aren't branded a nationlistic racist as I assume that asylum seeker researcher was aiming that offensive pap at me. I am NO racist thank you very much. I despise the BNP. I just find it abit much that I'm forced to still be at home because I cannot afford my own accomodation yet these people get everything! I stick by mt comment charity starts at home. I don't know a single friemnd of mine who isn't still at home and we are all between 20-25, know why?? because living costs are through the roof. It's too expensive to rent or buy a place and the council are no good as I'm a young single white male, therefore I'm on the bottom of the list, no on wants to know, even though I contribute to this country. If I get a silly teenage slut pregnant then I could get a house Are you telling me that this is fair? I'll be so glad when I can afford to leave. Who the hell wants to live here anymore.

kate, london (18/04/2005 at 13:30)

I work for the bbc and am trying to find people to take part in a discussion to be broadcast on radio 4 on immigration / asylum issues. I am looking for people who are from Bolton and would be available to go to a pub in centre of Bolton town centre on Tuesday 19th April at 7pm. The discussion will be around 15 minutes and would centre.
If you are interested please email me with a contact number and a couple of lines outlining your thoughts on this subject. Thanks.

feed up, yorks (24/04/2005 at 14:55)

i'm fed up with this country, i'm not against the asylums but i am sick of them too, i've been disabled since i was born and i'm only in my 20's and cannot work yet i have to fight for my money to live but these people get B#100's a week given to them. its not fair!

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