Asylum seekers and refugees come to the UK because they are not safe in their countries. They have experienced violence, abuse, war and trauma.
Their journeys have been tortuous, and they faced risk, discrimination, violence, abuse and hardship. Many die on their travels or do not reach safety as they are trafficked.
Those who arrive in the UK hope they can make a better life for themselves and their families and contribute to the society that has welcomed them. And that their human rights will be protected and they will be treated with respect and consideration.
Instead, they face a hostile environment from the UK government, local authorities and services, the public and those responsible for their accommodation.
Hotel accommodation is supposed to be a short-term solution, but many have now been in this accommodation for months. In this ‘contingency’ accommodation, they receive only £8.24 per week, from which they must pay for all expenses (apart from prescription medication). If they are not present during mealtimes due to legal and medical appointments, they miss out and must go hungry.
Many families have underlying health conditions that do not receive the attention deserved. Their specific needs are not catered for. This is particularly prevalent in the types of meals served. There is no consideration for dietary or health conditions and the impact inadequate food has on their health. As a result, many skip meals or are forced to take more drastic action.
We have witnessed women cooking outside in the cold, wind and rain to prepare hot food for themselves and their families.
This is extremely dangerous for several reasons:
- Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner, Jonathon Evison stated (5 December 2022) that asylum seekers housed locally are more likely to fall victim to crime.
- They are at risk of being fined or charged by local authorities or the police.
- They cannot prepare the food hygienically, which could put them at a greater health risk than they are already experiencing.
This affects not only adults but also children. Those attending school do not get free school meals, so they go hungry from morning through evening.
When we raised this with the school in question, they said they would investigate, but nothing has happened, and nothing has changed.
Hull Sisters supports these families by providing much-needed food, clothing and essentials such as hygiene and period products. However, we do not have a working kitchen where we can provide hot meals that are nutritious, nourishing and meet their health conditions.
We had hoped that we would be successful in our Winter Grant application so that we could provide this necessary support. We intended to provide a safe women-only space for cooking and providing equipment such as air fryers and slow cookers, as well as provide hot drinks and soups. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and we must now close over the Christmas period due to the cost-of-living crisis, leaving these and other local families without anywhere to turn.
The women we support are victims of violence and abuse, have poor self-esteem, don’t feel comfortable in a mixed environment, and prefer women-only places. Our personal experience and studies show explicit biases regarding funding women’s organisations. For example, Rosa’s research report on women’s organisations.
We call on the UK Government and local authorities to ensure that asylum seekers and refugees are treated with respect and looked after instead of being targeted with hate speech and used to make a profit by hotels and companies that work in ‘border control’.
This is a UK-wide problem:
Hotel food given to migrants is unhealthy
Children in England’s asylum hotels suffering from malnutrition
