Hundreds of Asylum Seekers face eviction onto the streets

On Monday 22nd october 200, in the West Midlands a number of asylum seekers returned home from work or college to find the locks on the doors had been changed and they were unable to gain entry to their accommodation. About 9 asylum seekers without warning, were also evicted from their accommodation the same day.

Over the last week, several hundred asylum seekers in the Midlands received notice from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) that they have to leave their accommodation. Subsequently, they received another notice from NASS telling them to stay put.

All the asylum seekers concerned were dispersed by Tower Hamlets Council to sub-accommodation providers, (not government appointed) in the West Midlands. These accommodation providers even brought asylum seekers from the north of England who were in NASS accommodation to the Midlands.

NASS recently informed Tower Hamlets Council that payments the council were making for asylum seekers who claimed after October 2000 were illegal as only NASS could provide support after this date.

Tower Hamlets Council have now stopped paying the sub-accommodators. In turn the accommodators have now issued eviction notices to all they were housing.

Other housing providers in the West Midlands are giving asylum seekers notice to leave, but not as yet throwing people onto the street.

NCADC have contacted NASS. All we have heard so far is 'Administrative Silence', but when NCADC asked who could those affected apply to for help, NASS said the 'One Stop Shop' at the British Refugee Council, West Midlands.

When some of the asylum seekers did apply for help they were given short shrift. A spokesperson for the 'One Stop Shop' at the British Refugee Council, West Midlands said not our problem, contact NASS.