Current Situation
Asylum Seekers
At the end of 2008, there were 955 asylum seekers in receipt of full support and 175 receiving subsistence-only support (UKBA, 2008). The main countries of origin at the time of writing are Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Sudan, Congo DRC and Congo.
The Consortium in Manchester no longer has a contract with NASS for induction accommodation. Manchester City Council accepts referrals from the Home Office for dispersals to the area. Although London is the legal capital and many asylum cases can only be heard in its courts, in April 2009 an Administrative Court Centre was open in Manchester, alongside three others in Birmingham, Cardiff and Leeds.
The British government has been given powers to detain asylum seekers and migrants at any stage of the asylum process. In Manchester, there is a short term holding facility at Manchester Airport (Pennine House), where 50 immigration detainees are held captive, according to the UKBA figures for the last quarter of 2008. This facility was closed on 1 July 2008 and re-opened on 30 November 2008.
Refugees
Many refugees stay in Manchester after receiving a positive decision on their asylum claim and the size of the refugee population has grown. Moreover, Greater Manchester has been a major dispersal area, and though refugee communities are found in many areas of the city, they tend to be more concentrated in the inner south, in areas such as Moss Side, Rusholme and Longsight. However, according to the Refugee Council and Refugee Action, this has recently diversified, as there are now many refugee-led groups in the surrounding boroughs (particularly Salford and Bolton) where there is no tradition of refugee-led groups (and in some areas little tradition of BME communities).
Accurate statistics are not available on the number of refugees in Manchester, but Refugee Action estimates that there are some 6,000 asylum seekers, and approximately 20,000 refugees.
Key Organisations
A number of key organisations work in Manchester providing general advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees. Whilst in NASS accommodation, the Manchester Asylum Support Team will assist with orientation, housing issues, health and education queries and payment complications.
The Multi Agency for Refugee Integration in Manchester (MARIM) works with statutory and voluntary agencies to improve services and identify gaps in provision or barriers to accessing services. They work closely with Refugee Action and the Manchester Refugee Support Network (MRSN). They also coordinate quarterly Multi Agency Forums for networking and engaging agencies around specific themes. They also oversee the events for the annual Refugee Week.
MRSN is a refugee-led infrastructure provider operating mainly in the City of Manchester. Infrastructure support varies, with some generalist providers providing a high quality service, while others have less expertise in serving refugee led groups. This network aims to increase the capacity and independence of refugee community organizations. Among other things, they run a Refugee and Migrant Forum to empower refugee communities in the area and a website containing a directory of service providers.
NW Regional Strategic Migration Partnership is the principal regional policy forum on refugee, asylum and migration issues. Funded by the Home Office and chaired by Manchester City Council, it aims to increase information sharing and empower existing agencies to plan at a strategic level.
Refugee Action work in partnership with agencies working with asylum seekers across the region and prioritise work with the voluntary sector to meet gaps in service provision.
Red Cross runs a number of refugee services in the area including: an orientation project to provide advice and support for newly arrived refugees, a Womens Integration and Support Project (WISP), and a Destitution Project for failed asylum seekers that cannot access support. They also run an International Tracing and Messaging Service to restore contact between separated family members.
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Last Updated: 06/10/09
