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MYTH BUSTER

MYTH BUSTER. Resolving the issues about Asylum Seekers and Refugees. Introduction. FACT: Asylum seekers and refugees are rarely out of the British media FACT: Many myths surround asylum seekers and refugees in the UK FACT: This short presentation seeks to resolve these myths.

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MYTH BUSTER

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  1. MYTH BUSTER Resolving the issues about Asylum Seekers and Refugees Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  2. Introduction • FACT:Asylum seekers and refugees are rarely out of the British media • FACT: Many myths surround asylum seekers and refugees in the UK • FACT: This short presentation seeks to resolve these myths Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  3. Britain Is The Asylum Capital Of The World” • MYTH: British people believe that on average the UK has 23% of theworld’s refugees • FACT: The UK houses under 2% of the world’s refugees • Two thirds of the world’s refugees live in developing countries • In 2008 the UK ranked 17th in the league table of industrialised countries for the number of asylum applicants per head of population Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  4. Asylum Seekers Are Mainly Illegal • MYTH: People seeking asylum do so under illegal means • FACT: There is no such thing as an illegal asylum seeker • The UK signed the 1951 Convention on Refugees giving anyone the right to apply for asylum in the UK and stay here until a final decision has been made on their application Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  5. Asylum Seekers Abuse The Welfare System • MYTH: Asylum seekers receive large benefits • FACT: Asylum seekers aren’t allowed to claim many types of benefit • A lone parent asylum seeker will receive £42.62 per week • A single person (not parent) will receive £35.52 per week. • FACT: This is 30% below the UK poverty line Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  6. Asylum Seekers & Migrants Cause Crime • MYTH: Reports in newspapers have implied that asylum seekers and refugees are more likely to cause crime • FACT: A report by the Association of Chief Police Officers stated that the “vast majority of people seeking asylum are law abiding citizens” • Asylum seekers are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators • A report by Refugee Action stated that one in five of their clients experienced some sort of harassment Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  7. Asylum Seekers Cause Unemployment • MYTH: Some people believe that asylum seekers take British jobs away from British people • FACT: Most asylum seekers aren’t allowed to work • Some asylum seekers may take casual jobs. These jobs may pay a wage below the minimum wage Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  8. Asylum Seekers Cause The Shortage Of Housing In The UK • MYTH: Asylum seekers take all the affordable housing • FACT: This problem is not caused by asylum seekers • Many asylum seekers are destitute and homeless. • If every asylum seeker left the UK there would still be a shortage of housing • Recent governments have restricted the building of new homes • Last year only 3 units of housing were built for every 1000 people Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  9. Asylum Seekers Drain NHS Resources • MYTH: Some people believe that asylum seekers excessively use the NHS for free • FACT: Migrants have made a massive contribution to the NHS • Today 23% of doctors and 47% of nurses were born outside of the UK • Many of these professionals were trained in their countries of origin • GPs are allowed to block patients if their lists are too full Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

  10. Myth: Campaigns against asylum seekers are standing up for ordinary working class people • FACT: The campaign against asylum seekers … • won’t lead to a single affordable house being built, or • a single hospital waiting list being reduced, or • a single school being built • FACT: The campaign against asylum seekers diverts attention from the real causes of poverty • FACT: It divides and weakens initiatives to change things for the better • FACT: That’s why trade unions often take the lead in fighting racism Sources: IPPR Factfile: ‘Asylum in the UK’, Crossing Border ‘Press Myths’, Refugee Council ‘The Facts About Asylum, UKBA, UNHCR, ACPO, General Medical Council, Commission for Racial Equality, MORI

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