Thursday 19 February 2015

Is there a cheaper way? Counting the cost to the UK tax payer of systemically keeping refugees out of work




A typical, expensive-to-the-tax-payer scenario:

A person asks for refugee protection in the UK from persecution or danger of persecution overseas

While this is being considered, they are not allowed to work (ie they are an 'Asylum Seeker')

While this is being considered, they are not allowed 'recourse to public funds' : Asylum Seekers cannot access education, training or employment. They are dispersed around the UK and cannot access employment support services during this time. They can volunteer if they can manage to find any. 

They may be refused Refugee status and deported. Most are refused (62% refusal rate end of 2014)  website http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/assets/0003/3271/Asylum_Statistics_Nov_2014.pdf)

They may be given refugee protection in the UK. If this happens...  

They are told to relocate and find their own housing... and find a job

There are no settlement services. The reason given is costs savings... 

How much does it cost to maintain the typical scenario described below? 

Has anyone done a cost-benefit analysis of alternative models? 

The person with refugee status starts to try to find a job. Any job. 

Refugees are not mentioned in the Equality Act 2010 but...

Refugees have permission to work in any job. They have a National Insurance number and an ID card.  Few employers are aware of this right or of the card. 

Around 25% of refugees in the UK are highly skilled.  Persecuted Academics, Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Scientists.. 

They are joining the refugee community, around 70% of whom experience longterm unemployment 


While they are looking for work and for new housing they are told to find their own way through the impenetrable benefits system in order to have a new post-asylum roof over their head and find a job to move into independent life and contribute as new members of UK society 

Refugees are mainstreamed by Jobcentre Plus, with no records kept and no services to address their specific settlement needs around knowing how the UK labour market works and addressing resistance by the market to inclusion of refugee job applicants. ie Refugees are invisible as customers.

Many Refugees find themselves on a merry-go-round of expensive repetitive services that do not address their needs,  often facing benefits sanctions for trying to gain professional experience (as an example) - and move into expensive longterm unemployment. 

Others find cleaning, security, postal, taxi jobs and are unable to access the professional work experience and training that would assist them back into professional, tax-paying work. 

Is this a cheaper alternative?: 

New Job Centre Plus refugee claimants are offered Employment Support Allowance

For a year 

During which time they are not subjected to sanctions for not being able to find a job but are provided with employment orientation services, group and 1-1 by qualified staff. 

Claimants move into relevant, sustainable employment, quicker and at less cost to the tax payer. 

Let's do some calculations.....  who's going to do it?  


















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