Asylum seekers forced to choose between medicine and food, warns human rights watchdog
People seeking sanctuary in Britain unable to afford prescription fees and forced to miss healthcare appointments due to a lack of funds to pay for travel, says watchdog
Asylum seekers are having to choose between paying for medicine or buying food, the human rights watchdog has warned, prompting renewed calls for the government to give people seeking sanctuary the right to work.
A report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reveals that some asylum seekers are not able to afford prescription fees and are forced to miss healthcare appointments due to a lack of funds to pay for travel.
Disabled people and pregnant women are particularly impacted, as they have a greater need for health services and must follow nutritional advice, the EHRC said.
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It comes amid mounting calls for asylum seekers to be given the right to work.
A recent survey found that 71 per cent of the British public would be in favour of this, and a separate study showed they could bring an additional £42.4m to the economy if they were allowed to work.
Asylum seekers are currently given £5.39 a day in state support to meet all their essential living costs, including food, clothing, toiletries and transport.
A report by the Red Cross earlier this year found that the number living in food poverty had soared by 20 per cent in a year.
The EHRC report warns that NHS charging policy in England has made some healthcare unaffordable for people who are appealing negative asylum decisions, causing some to delay or avoid treatment.
Some GP surgeries have wrongly refused requests from failed asylum seekers to register with a doctor because they believed they were ineligible, when in fact they have the right to register for primary care.
Most people seeking asylum live in accommodation provided by the Home Office and can be moved or dispersed between this allocated accommodation on a no-choice basis, which the Commission found disrupted the continuity of healthcare and social networks that people rely on.
In a series of recommendations to the government, the EHRC calls for a review into the current asylum accommodation and dispersal policy and practice, to ensure that healthcare needs, especially of disabled people and pregnant women, are met in the provision of housing.
It also urges the Home Office to ensure asylum seekers are able to afford costs to attend relevant healthcare appointments, by either raising the level of financial support provided, or extending the right to work for people seeking asylum who have been waiting for a decision on their application for more than six months.
The watchdog states that support should be extended for pregnant women who have been refused asylum to cover the whole of pregnancy to ensure the needs of the woman are fully met.
Stephen Hale, chief executive of the charity Refugee Action, welcomed the report, adding: “We know that the long wait for a decision on an application for asylum takes its toll, physically and mentally, on those stuck in the system.
“The government often likes to remind us that when it comes to health, prevention is better than the cure. Today’s EHRC report makes clear that one sure way to help those seeking asylum to look after their health is to let them work. It’s time for the home secretary Sajid Javid to heed that call.”
Rosalind Bragg, director of Maternity Action, backed the EHRC's calls for the immediate suspension of NHS maternity care charging.
She said: "Most of the women charged for maternity care and those who call our advice service live in extreme hardship as they are not allowed to work, have been through violence and abuse, and often have riskier pregnancies because of poor health.
"They need free, safe and quality maternity care regardless of their immigration status. We urge the Minister of Health, Matt Hancock, to make this a priority.”
UK news in pictures
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UK news in pictures
1/50 24 January 2019
Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond makes a statement outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court after he was arrested and charged by police. No further details of the charge against the 64-year-old have been released. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a 64-year-old man has been arrested and charged, and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal
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2/50 23 January 2019
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3/50 22 January 2019
Ttributes left outside Cardiff City Stadium after a plane carrying their new signing Emiliano Sala disappeared over the English Channel on Monday night. The aircraft disappeared off radar after losing contact with air traffic control around 8:20pm, with rescue attempts abandoned through the night due to worsening conditions. Lifeboats and helicopters resumed the search 8am on Tuesday morning, but the latest update from Guernsey Police is that there is “no trace of the aircraft” and officials have now said that they are "not expecting anyone to be alive"
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4/50 21 January 2019
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5/50 20 January 2019
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6/50 19 January 2019
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7/50 18 January 2019
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8/50 17 January 2019
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9/50 16 January 2019
Theresa May speaking during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons the day after her Brexit deal was defeated in Parliament
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10/50 15 January 2019
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11/50 14 January 2019
Andy Murray produced one of the performances of his career, but after more than four hours and with an injured hip that will inevitably end his career at some point this year, he exited the Australian Open in the first round at the hands of 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut. It looked to be a straight-forward victory for the Spaniard as he surged into a two-set lead, but Murray is not a three-time Grand Slam champion for nothing and he supremely levelled the match despite hobbling around the court from the get-go. However, in the end his hip injury just took too much out of him, and Bautista Agut clinched a breath-taking 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (4-7), 2-6 victory to reach the second round where he'll face Australia's John Millman
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12/50 13 January 2019
British Prime Minister, Theresa May and her husband Philip attend Sunday morning prayers at her local church in Maidenhead, Britain, 13 January 2019. Members of the British Parliament are due to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal on 15 January 2019, with Britain set to leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.
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13/50 12 January 2019
Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest near Broadcasting House on in London, England. Demonstrators from both the left and the right wings of British politics have adopted the 'Gilets Jaunes' or Yellow Vest form of protest that first became prominent in France throughout November and December 2018. Various groups meet in London today to protest the Brexit deal due to be voted on in the UK Parliament
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14/50 11 January 2019
An emotional Andy Murray revealed this year's Australian Open could be the last tournament of his career. Struggling to hold back tears, the 31-year-old Scot said that the continuing pain from what he described as his “severely damaged right hip” had led him to decide to end his career this year. He said that he had been planning to make this summer’s Wimbledon his farewell tournament, but feared that he might have to bring down the curtain before then
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15/50 10 January 2019
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were greeted by Chase Bridge Primary School children waving UK and Japanese national flags during a visit to Twickenham Rugby Stadium in, west London. Abe is visiting Britain and set to hold talks with May following her visit to Tokyo and Kyoto last year
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16/50 9 January 2019
Former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron (right) speaks to a pro-Brexit protester outside the Houses of Parliament. MPs will resume debating Theresa May's Brexit plan a month after she postponed the original commons vote. Met police have been urged to take action against protesters who abuse MP's. This comes after Conservative MP Anna Soubry was verbally abused and called 'Nazi scum' by pro-Brexit protesters on 7 January
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17/50 8 January 2019
Alex Salmond speaking outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh after it ruled that the Scottish Government acted unlawfully regarding sexual harassment complaints against the former first minister
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18/50 7 January 2019
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May meets with a mother and baby during a visit to a facility within Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. May made a speech setting out the government's long-term plan for the National Health Service
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19/50 6 January 2019
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20/50 5 January 2019
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21/50 4 January 2019
Frances Connolly, 52, and Patrick Connolly, 54, from Moira, County Armagh in Northern Ireland, who scooped a £115 million EuroMillions jackpot in the New Year's Day lottery draw, during a photocall at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Belfast, as they announce their win
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22/50 3 January 2019
The offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey leaves Portsmouth Harbour as it is deployed to patrol the English channel following an increase in migrants crossing in small boats
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23/50 2 January 2019
Rail protestors wearing masks with the faces of Prime Minister Theresa May and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling outside Kings Cross St Pancras station in London ahead of a visit by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to highlight 'rising rail fares and falling standards of service on Britain's railways' as part of Labour's Rail Action Day
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24/50 1 January 2019
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25/50 31 December 2018
Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year
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26/50 30 December 2018
UK Border Force Cutter, 'Search' berths at Ramsgate Harbour. The growing number of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel has been declared a "major incident" by UK home secretary Sajid Javid
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27/50 29 December 2018
People remove a Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture 'Angel of the North', outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The pranksters responsible climbed up overnight to remove it. One of the group, dressed as Dr Seuss character the Grinch, was photographed pulling the hat down from the 65ft structure, with the help of three others dressed as Santa. The hat had been placed on top of the famous Anthony Gormley artwork on Christmas Eve, prompting delight from onlookers
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28/50 28 December 2018
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29/50 27 December 2018
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30/50 26 December 2018
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31/50 25 December 2018
Barbary macaques at Blair Drummond Safari Park have a great time finding the tasty morsels hidden amongst the wrapped parcels given to them by keepers. The animals need care and attention every day and Christmas is no different when the animals are checked, fed and given enrichment to keep them stimulated
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32/50 24 December 2018
A Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture 'Angel of the North', outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The hat is believed to have been added overnight, with passers-by stopping to take photos in the early hours of the morning. The Sir Antony Gormley sculpture was installed in 1998, with celebrations marking its 20th birthday this year
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33/50 23 December 2018
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34/50 22 December 2018
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35/50 21 December 2018
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36/50 20 December 2018
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37/50 19 December 2018
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38/50 18 December 2018
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39/50 17 December 2018
Firefighters and police officers attend a memorial service at the Harrods Bombing memorial in west London, on the 35th anniversary of the terrorist attack which left three police officers and three members of the public dead, on December 17, 1983
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40/50 16 December 2018
Theresa May has hit out at Mr Blair, accusing him of "insulting"the British people and the office of prime minister by "undermining" Brexit talks with calls in Brussels for a second referendum.
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41/50 15 December 2018
Chester Zoo after a fire broke out in the Monsoon Forest habitat area.
PA
42/50 14 December 2018
Fracking has been halted at the Preston Road site in Lancashire after a series of tremors peaking at 0.9 magnitude
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43/50 13 December 2018
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today told Theresa May that he expects assurances that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
AP
44/50 12 December 2018
Theresa May announces that she is to face a vote of no confidence today
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45/50 11 December 2018
Armed police restrain a man inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament in London
Reuters
46/50 10 December 2018
A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster
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47/50 9 December 2018
A pro-brexit demonstrator speaks into a megaphone at the "Brexit betrayal" march in London. Counter-demonstrators also staged a march in London today
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48/50 8 December 2018
People in Santa costumes in Trafalgar Square, London, as they take part in Santacon
PA
49/50 7 December 2018
A large mural depicting one star being chipped away from the EU flag is seen in Dover. The work has been attributed to Banksy
Reuters
50/50 6 December 2018
A man wearing a storm trooper costume holds a sketchbook belonging to costume designer John Mollo, and showing illustrations for Star Wars costumes, during a photo-call ahead of an auction at Bonhams in central London
Reuters
1/50 24 January 2019
Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond makes a statement outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court after he was arrested and charged by police. No further details of the charge against the 64-year-old have been released. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a 64-year-old man has been arrested and charged, and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal
PA
2/50 23 January 2019
A couple walk through a park, in High Wycombe, as some areas of the UK see the first snow of the year
Getty
3/50 22 January 2019
Ttributes left outside Cardiff City Stadium after a plane carrying their new signing Emiliano Sala disappeared over the English Channel on Monday night. The aircraft disappeared off radar after losing contact with air traffic control around 8:20pm, with rescue attempts abandoned through the night due to worsening conditions. Lifeboats and helicopters resumed the search 8am on Tuesday morning, but the latest update from Guernsey Police is that there is “no trace of the aircraft” and officials have now said that they are "not expecting anyone to be alive"
Reuters
4/50 21 January 2019
A super blood wolf moon over the peace statue on Brighton seafront during a lunar eclipse
PA
5/50 20 January 2019
Forensic officers inspect the remains of the van used as a car bomb on an attack outside Derry Court House in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Dissident republicans are suspected to have carried out the attack which has been condemned by Northern Ireland politicians
Getty
6/50 19 January 2019
Women's march for “bread and roses”, rally against austerity in London
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
7/50 18 January 2019
A team of specialists who are tasked with piecing together the iconic dinosaur Dippy unpack bespoke crates containing the bone structure at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow. As part of a road trip across the UK, Dippy has arrived in Scotland and will be on show
Getty
8/50 17 January 2019
A farmer rides a quad bike as snow and frost settles on the peaks of the hills in the Brecon Beacons
PA
9/50 16 January 2019
Theresa May speaking during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons the day after her Brexit deal was defeated in Parliament
PA
10/50 15 January 2019
Police monitor Brexit protesters outside the houses of parliament in London. Parliamentarians are voting on the postponed Brexit EU Withdrawal Agreement, commonly known as The Meaningful Vote, deciding on Britain's future relationship with the European Union
EPA
11/50 14 January 2019
Andy Murray produced one of the performances of his career, but after more than four hours and with an injured hip that will inevitably end his career at some point this year, he exited the Australian Open in the first round at the hands of 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut. It looked to be a straight-forward victory for the Spaniard as he surged into a two-set lead, but Murray is not a three-time Grand Slam champion for nothing and he supremely levelled the match despite hobbling around the court from the get-go. However, in the end his hip injury just took too much out of him, and Bautista Agut clinched a breath-taking 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (4-7), 2-6 victory to reach the second round where he'll face Australia's John Millman
Reuters
12/50 13 January 2019
British Prime Minister, Theresa May and her husband Philip attend Sunday morning prayers at her local church in Maidenhead, Britain, 13 January 2019. Members of the British Parliament are due to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal on 15 January 2019, with Britain set to leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.
EPA
13/50 12 January 2019
Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest near Broadcasting House on in London, England. Demonstrators from both the left and the right wings of British politics have adopted the 'Gilets Jaunes' or Yellow Vest form of protest that first became prominent in France throughout November and December 2018. Various groups meet in London today to protest the Brexit deal due to be voted on in the UK Parliament
Getty Images
14/50 11 January 2019
An emotional Andy Murray revealed this year's Australian Open could be the last tournament of his career. Struggling to hold back tears, the 31-year-old Scot said that the continuing pain from what he described as his “severely damaged right hip” had led him to decide to end his career this year. He said that he had been planning to make this summer’s Wimbledon his farewell tournament, but feared that he might have to bring down the curtain before then
Getty Images
15/50 10 January 2019
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were greeted by Chase Bridge Primary School children waving UK and Japanese national flags during a visit to Twickenham Rugby Stadium in, west London. Abe is visiting Britain and set to hold talks with May following her visit to Tokyo and Kyoto last year
AFP/Getty
16/50 9 January 2019
Former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron (right) speaks to a pro-Brexit protester outside the Houses of Parliament. MPs will resume debating Theresa May's Brexit plan a month after she postponed the original commons vote. Met police have been urged to take action against protesters who abuse MP's. This comes after Conservative MP Anna Soubry was verbally abused and called 'Nazi scum' by pro-Brexit protesters on 7 January
EPA
17/50 8 January 2019
Alex Salmond speaking outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh after it ruled that the Scottish Government acted unlawfully regarding sexual harassment complaints against the former first minister
PA
18/50 7 January 2019
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May meets with a mother and baby during a visit to a facility within Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. May made a speech setting out the government's long-term plan for the National Health Service
AFP/Getty
19/50 6 January 2019
The Lions part group of professional performers on Bankside, during the annual Twelfth Night celebrations on the South Bank in central London.
PA
20/50 5 January 2019
Elliott List celebrates after scoring Gillingham's first goal during the FA Cup third round match between against Cardiff City at Priestfield Stadium. The League One side went on to knock the Premier League out of the competition
Getty
21/50 4 January 2019
Frances Connolly, 52, and Patrick Connolly, 54, from Moira, County Armagh in Northern Ireland, who scooped a £115 million EuroMillions jackpot in the New Year's Day lottery draw, during a photocall at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Belfast, as they announce their win
PA
22/50 3 January 2019
The offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey leaves Portsmouth Harbour as it is deployed to patrol the English channel following an increase in migrants crossing in small boats
PA
23/50 2 January 2019
Rail protestors wearing masks with the faces of Prime Minister Theresa May and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling outside Kings Cross St Pancras station in London ahead of a visit by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to highlight 'rising rail fares and falling standards of service on Britain's railways' as part of Labour's Rail Action Day
PA
24/50 1 January 2019
Police restraining a man after he stabbed three people at Victoria Station in Manchester last night. Two commuters - a man and woman in their 50s - were taken to hospital with knife injuries and a British Transport Police (BTP) officer was stabbed in the shoulder. Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody
Sam Clack/PA
25/50 31 December 2018
Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year
PA
26/50 30 December 2018
UK Border Force Cutter, 'Search' berths at Ramsgate Harbour. The growing number of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel has been declared a "major incident" by UK home secretary Sajid Javid
Getty
27/50 29 December 2018
People remove a Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture 'Angel of the North', outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The pranksters responsible climbed up overnight to remove it. One of the group, dressed as Dr Seuss character the Grinch, was photographed pulling the hat down from the 65ft structure, with the help of three others dressed as Santa. The hat had been placed on top of the famous Anthony Gormley artwork on Christmas Eve, prompting delight from onlookers
PA
28/50 28 December 2018
The steam locomotive U Class 31806 makes its way past Corfe Castle during the Winter Warm Up on the Swanage Railway in Dorset
PA
29/50 27 December 2018
The scene in Launcelot Close, Andover, where the body of a man has been found after an explosion caused a building to collapse
Hannah Louise/Twitter/PA
30/50 26 December 2018
Shoppers enter the Selfridges store on Oxford Street during the Boxing Day sales in London
Reuters
31/50 25 December 2018
Barbary macaques at Blair Drummond Safari Park have a great time finding the tasty morsels hidden amongst the wrapped parcels given to them by keepers. The animals need care and attention every day and Christmas is no different when the animals are checked, fed and given enrichment to keep them stimulated
PA
32/50 24 December 2018
A Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture 'Angel of the North', outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The hat is believed to have been added overnight, with passers-by stopping to take photos in the early hours of the morning. The Sir Antony Gormley sculpture was installed in 1998, with celebrations marking its 20th birthday this year
PA
33/50 23 December 2018
Team Dash and Splash swimmers, some in fancy dress, getting into the Irish Sea at Bangor beach in Northern Ireland
PA
34/50 22 December 2018
Members of the Shakti Sings choir sing as druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument near Amesbury. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the 're-birth' of the sun for the new year
Getty
35/50 21 December 2018
Environmental protestors from the Extinction Rebellion group chant during a demonstration outside BBC Broadcasting House in London. The group was calling for the media organisation to provide further in-depth coverage of climate-related issues in future reporting
Getty
36/50 20 December 2018
A police helicopter flies over Gatwick airport in search of the person operating the drone that has caused the airport to be closed today
Getty
37/50 19 December 2018
There was controversy in the Commons today as Jeremy Corbyn allegedly called the Prime Minister a stupid woman under his breath after she made a joke at PMQs
AP
38/50 18 December 2018
Jose Mourinho after he was sacked by Manchester United with immediate effect. The Portuguese leaves United sixth in the table with the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday proving his final game in charge. A club statement read: "Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future. A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."
Reuters
39/50 17 December 2018
Firefighters and police officers attend a memorial service at the Harrods Bombing memorial in west London, on the 35th anniversary of the terrorist attack which left three police officers and three members of the public dead, on December 17, 1983
PA
40/50 16 December 2018
Theresa May has hit out at Mr Blair, accusing him of "insulting"the British people and the office of prime minister by "undermining" Brexit talks with calls in Brussels for a second referendum.
PA
41/50 15 December 2018
Chester Zoo after a fire broke out in the Monsoon Forest habitat area.
PA
42/50 14 December 2018
Fracking has been halted at the Preston Road site in Lancashire after a series of tremors peaking at 0.9 magnitude
Reuters
43/50 13 December 2018
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today told Theresa May that he expects assurances that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
AP
44/50 12 December 2018
Theresa May announces that she is to face a vote of no confidence today
Reuters
45/50 11 December 2018
Armed police restrain a man inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament in London
Reuters
46/50 10 December 2018
A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster
PA
47/50 9 December 2018
A pro-brexit demonstrator speaks into a megaphone at the "Brexit betrayal" march in London. Counter-demonstrators also staged a march in London today
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
48/50 8 December 2018
People in Santa costumes in Trafalgar Square, London, as they take part in Santacon
PA
49/50 7 December 2018
A large mural depicting one star being chipped away from the EU flag is seen in Dover. The work has been attributed to Banksy
Reuters
50/50 6 December 2018
A man wearing a storm trooper costume holds a sketchbook belonging to costume designer John Mollo, and showing illustrations for Star Wars costumes, during a photo-call ahead of an auction at Bonhams in central London
Reuters
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We take the wellbeing of asylum seekers very seriously, and they have full and free access to the NHS. Those in receipt of asylum support because they would otherwise be destitute do not have to pay for prescriptions.
“Supported asylum seekers have the costs of travel to hospital appointments paid for by the NHS and we are absolutely clear that having a serious medical condition has no bearing on the outcome of an asylum claim.
“We have paused data-sharing with NHS Digital while we work to introduce a new Memorandum of Understanding that enables us to make to make tracing requests in relation to those facing deportation action for serious criminal offending and where necessary to protect the welfare of an individual.”
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