Transcript There’s no place like home

Do not oppress a foreigner…… Exodus 23:9
THERE’S NO PLACE
LIKE HOME
Exploring and understanding:
Who are asylum seekers?
Why do asylum seekers come to
the UK?
What do we mean by ‘refugee’?
What do you already know?
Spend two minutes sharing your
ideas with a neighbour:
What do we mean by an ‘asylum
seeker’?
What is the difference between a
‘refugee’ and an ‘illegal immigrant’?
MATCH THE TERM WITH THE DEFINITION:
Asylum seeker
Refugee
Illegal immigrant
Economic migrant
European migrant
 Moves to another country to find
work
 Is allowed to stay in another
country because they have proved
they would be persecuted at
home
 Can work in another country in
the European Economic Area
 is in another country without
legal permission
 Has fled their homeland and
needs sanctuary
MATCH THE TERM WITH THE DEFINITION:
Asylum seeker
Refugee
Illegal immigrant
Economic migrant
European migrant
 Has fled their homeland and needs
sanctuary
 Is allowed to stay in another
country because they have proved
they would be persecuted at home
 is in another country without legal
permission
 Moves to another country to find
work
 Can work in another country in the
European Economic Area
TRUE OR FALSE?
Britain is particularly popular for asylum seekers
because it is easy to get in
Asylum seekers get more benefits than pensioners
Asylum seekers ‘jump the queue’ for houses
Many asylum seekers come to the UK for benefits
Asylum seekers are detained whilst their cases are
reviewed
The UK is swarming with refugees
TRUE OR FALSE?
 Britain is particularly popular for asylum seekers because it
is easy to get in: FALSE
 Asylum seekers get more benefits than pensioners: FALSE
 Asylum seekers ‘jump the queue’ for houses: FALSE
 Many asylum seekers come to the UK for benefits: FALSE
 Asylum seekers are detained whilst their cases are
reviewed: TRUE
 The UK is swarming with refugees: FALSE
 Asylum seekers steal our Jobs: FALSE
Britain is particularly popular for asylum
seekers because it is easy to get in: FALSE
It is a very complex system
Many people are rejected
The Home Office’s initial decisions are
overturned in 26% of appeals
There were 19,804 asylum applications
to the UK in 2011. This the second
lowest level in 10 years.
Asylum seekers get more benefits than
pensioners: FALSE
 This accusation has been found in a viral protest that has
cropped up on social media sites and on email. The ‘original’ has
been in circulation in different countries (including Australia
and Canada) since 2007
 Asylum seekers – i.e. persons awaiting a decision on an asylum
application – are not entitled to any mainstream noncontributory social security benefits such as income-based
Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support and Housing Benefit.
Instead, they may be eligible for accommodation and/or
financial support from the UK Border Agency.
 Cash support for asylum seekers is less generous than social
security benefits; for example, a single person aged 18 or over
currently receives £36.62 a week, a lone parent receives
£43.94 a week and a couple £72.52 a week
Asylum seekers ‘jump the queue’ for
houses: FALSE
Asylum seekers do not jump the queue
for council housing and they cannot
choose where they live. The
accommodation allocated to them is
not paid for by the local council. It is
allocated by UK Border Agency. It is
nearly always ‘hard to let’ properties,
where other people do not want to live.
Many asylum seekers come to the UK for
benefits: FALSE
In fact, most know nothing about welfare
benefits before they arrive and had no
expectation that they would receive
financial support.
“The only thing in my mind was to be
safe. I didn’t make any choice to leave my
country.”
(Democratic Republic of Congo, male, 3544)
Asylum seekers are detained whilst
their cases are reviewed: TRUE
Detention can be a few weeks, months –
or even years if the case isn’t resolved.
Children are detained with their
parents, often with severe
consequences.
ASYLUM SEEKERS STEAL OUR JOBS
 Asylum seekers are not allowed to work!
 Actually, if their claim is refused (and 20% are because of
paperwork errors), they have nowhere to live, no money to live
on…nothing.
 They are called destitute.
 The Destitution Trap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0-
3lMOB4io
The UK is swarming with refugees:
FALSE
The UK hosts between 2 and 3% of
the world’s refugees and asylum
seekers – less than Pakistan, Syria,
Iran and Germany
In 2009 the government were
supporting around 50,000 asylum
seekers – 0.08% of the population
Activity……
Now you know the difference between the
myths and the truth, design a poster to
raise awareness about refugees and asylum
seekers.
You can use the information in the
booklets/on the sheets
The posters will be put up around school
Check your understanding:
Can you define: asylum seeker;
refugee; illegal immigrant; economic
migrant; european migrant.
Can you counter some of the myths
told about asylum seekers?