Asylum seekers receiving financial support on rise in Capital

More asylum seekers received support in Edinburgh while their claim was processed last year, new figures show.

Home Office figures show 71 people were claiming assistance in Edinburgh as of December last year – up from 60 in 2022.

The figures come as the UK’s backlog for asylum applications fell by 20 per cent from 160,919 at the end of the year in 2022 to 128,786 people waiting for an initial decision on their asylum applications in December 2023.

This is down by more than a quarter from 175,457 at the end of June 2023, which was the highest figure since current records began in 2010.

Claimants may be eligible for Section 95 support with finance and accommodation or under Section 98 – which is given to those who appear destitute and are waiting to see if they are eligible for Section 95 – or Section 4, for after a claim is rejected.

The number receiving Section 98 support fell from 49,493 in December 2022 to just 1,244 last year.

Withdrawn applications quadrupled in 2023, with 24,027 withdrawals, relating to 25,583 people, a steep rise on 2022 when there were 5,255 relating to 5,944 people.

The Home Office said Channel crossings were down by more than a third, enforced returns up by 66% and 50 hotels were “returned back to their communities”.

20%

The UK’s backlog for asylum applications fell by 20 per cent between 2022 and 2023

71

Home Office figures show that 71 asylum seekers were claiming assistance in Edinburgh as of December last year, while waiting for their asylum applications to be processed

60

There were 60 asylum seekers in receipt of financial assistance in Edinburgh in December 2022

129k

There were 128,786 people waiting for an initial decision on their asylum applications in December 2023

161k

There were 160,919 people waiting for an initial decision on their asylum applications at the end of the year in 2022

25%

The backlog of asylum seekers as of December last year was down by more than a quarter from 175,457 at the end of June 2023, the highest figure on record

50

50 hotels previously in use by asylum seekers were “returned back to their communities” last year, according to the Home Office

66%

Enforced returns of rejected asylum seekers were up by 66 per cent last year, and Channel crossings were down by more than a third

24k

Withdrawn applications quadrupled in 2023, rising to 24,027, relating to 25,583 people, a rise on 2022 with 5,255 relating to 5,944 people

1,244

The number of people receiving Section 98 financial support fell from 49,493 in December 2022 to just 1,244 last year