What is a refugee?
Refugees are people who have fled their countries to escape conflict, violence, or persecution and have sought safety in another country. – UNHCR
Many have been forced to flee with little more than the clothes on their back, leaving behind their homes, possessions, jobs and loved ones. They may have suffered human rights violations, been injured in their flight, or seen family members or friends killed or attacked.
There were 42.7 million refugees globally at the end of 2024, the most recent reporting period. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is mandated to protect 31 million refugees and 5.9 million other people in need of international protection. A further 5.9 million Palestine refugees are supported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which was set up in 1949 to care for displaced Palestinians.
A person seeking asylum is someone who has asked a government to recognise their refugee status and is waiting to hear the outcome of their application. A single asylum system operates across the UK with all asylum decisions made by the Home Office.
Almost all people seeking asylum are not allowed to work and are forced to rely on state support — this is as little as £6.43 a day to live on. Therefore, all those politicians who make statements that asylum seekers are here to steal jobs and have handouts are telling lies. They are also lying if they say that to come here to seek asylum is illegal.
For those who are seeking asylum (not yet granted refugee status) the 1951 Refugee Convention guarantees everybody the right to apply for asylum. It has saved millions of lives. No country has ever withdrawn from it.
The Scottish Government, is responsible for those matters which are devolved which includes access to essential services like healthcare and education.
A refugee is entitled to the same social and economic rights as any UK citizen. Refugees have full access to medical treatment, education, benefits, housing and employment.
People seeking asylum do not have the same rights and entitlements as refugees because of restrictions applied under UK immigration legislation, rules and policy. People seeking asylum can access services in Scotland such as healthcare and education whilst they await their decision from the Home Office. – Scottish Government
Only 1% of people classed as Refugees out of the 27.1 million refugees who were forcibly displaced across the world are living in the UK.
The Home Office can take months or even years to make a decision on asylum case, and there is a growing backlog of cases. At the end of June 2022, there were over 117,000 people awaiting an initial decision on their asylum case. – Refugee Council
