“Don’t destroy our new life in Oxford!”

We all open our mail with some degree of trepidation, especially those official brown envelopes we don’t recognise. For many residents of the asylum hotel in Oxford, the official communications they have received in the last few weeks have brought momentous news… but for very different reasons.

The Home Office is finally beginning to speed up the review of its extensive backlog of asylum claims. A significant number of Asylum Welcome’s clients have been granted refugee status recently: around 25 individuals in a single hotel over the past few weeks. Receiving the letter confirming that they qualify for protection is a major and positive milestone for them. However, this good news also means they must now find new accommodation within 28 days (or less) and move out of the hotel.

When people get their status, our staff and volunteer teams assist them with tasks such as opening bank accounts, obtaining a national insurance number, and looking for work. We help people register for the support they are entitled to and refer them to the council for housing assistance. However, realistically, new refugees face major challenges in finding work and securing affordable housing – or even a room – within the limited time frame they have before leaving their only source of security. And remember, these are vulnerable people, most of whom have experienced significant trauma – the very reason they have been granted protection.

People are already being forced to leave the hotels. There has been an eviction every day this week, and unfortunately, those evicted have nowhere to go. The combined efforts of Crisis, Emmaus, the council, and ourselves have managed to secure emergency accommodation for a few, but others will be left to sleep on the streets. In winter.

No, homelessness is not a “lifestyle choice,” as disgracefully claimed by the Home Secretary over the weekend. It is a direct consequence of policies like this.

The number of individuals in need is rising faster than the services can handle, making the situation even more challenging. What should have been simple good news is quickly turning sour. Applicants who have obtained status require additional time and support to plan their next steps. Why can’t the powers that be recognise this?

For other hotel residents, the mail brings news that offers no hint of an upside. Recently, over 30 residents of the Oxford hotel have received notices stating that they will be transferred to the Bibby Stockholm barge. At least 15 people have already gone.

The reasons behind the Home Office’s focus on this specific hotel and their selection of these individuals remain unknown to us. We encounter clients from the same country with similar narratives and backgrounds, yet one receives a letter approving refugee status while the other is transferred to the barge. The contrast is stark and cruel.

The barge is a grim place; while residents may not be technically imprisoned, they are certainly confined. For people who have formed friendships in the local community, or who study or volunteer locally, being forced to leave Oxford is doubly painful. Despite their difficult circumstances, they were beginning to feel safe, but now they are afraid once again. We have assisted residents in appealing against the transfers, but our success rate has been limited to a few cases with strong medical reasons.

On Tuesday, residents at the Oxford hotel organised a demonstration to protest the transfers. Some of them, along with us at Asylum Welcome, have also contributed to an ITV regional news story (below) that was broadcast on Thursday 9th November – to shed light on what is happening.

Their powerful statement was read at the protest and can be found here.

Their banners were poignant. One read, “Don’t destroy our new life in Oxford!” Another said, “Don’t displace us again – Oxford is our home!”

In such distressing circumstances, the one heartening factor was the support and solidarity the demonstrators received from local people and students. We know that many of you, just like us, believe that the newest residents of Oxford deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives in our community. Your warmth and kindness make them feel less alone.

So, what happens now?

The city council needs to do more to prevent homelessness. All councils should demand that the Home Office extend the move-on notice period for newly recognised refugees. Civil society partners should collaborate to assist clients in preparing to move on and finding housing. Asylum Welcome will continue to challenge the transfers to the barge and support the residents still in the hotels. As for whether this number will increase or decrease in the coming months, none of us know for certain.

The overwhelming majority of asylum decisions eventually made are to grant status; evidence that the Home Office considers these asylum claims to be valid. This means that asylum seekers should be able to look forward to that brown envelope. If only they could!

The fight for a fair and compassionate system continues…