Hundreds of Scots asylum seekers to become homeless as 'brutal and inhumane' contractors change lock
Categories: Articles:Asylum & Refugees |
Published: 30/07/2018 |
Views: 3276
Hundreds of asylum seekers are set to be made homeless when a public services contractor begin changing the locks on their homes. Documents passed to the Sunday Mail reveal Serco – who supply accommodation to refugees – are to trigger a programme codenamed Move-on.
It will target up to 300 people in Glasgow who have had applications for refugee status rejected by the Home Office.
The firm have admitted an initial six “lock change notices” will be issued on Monday 30th July 2018, with the action carried out seven days later.
Other orders will then be issued on a rolling basis.
Until now, refugees have been allowed to remain in their accommodation while appealing decisions or making alternative living arrangements.
Scottish Labour MSP Mary Fee has said she is “utterly dismayed” by Serco’s “brutal decision” and described the move as “scandalous and lacking any compassion”.
The plans are outlined in an email from a Serco senior manager titled “Move-on pathway” sent to a number of agencies involved in supporting refugees.
It says: “Serco are now consistently accommodating approximately 250 - 300 former asylum seekers at any given time who have received a negative decision at our own expense.”
It adds that the firm would be “commencing with the issuing of lock change notices” for “asylum seekers who have received a negative decision” as of July 30. But the programme has been heavily criticised.
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