The study says that people seeking refuge should be able to work for six months after arriving in the UK while waiting for the outcome of their application. Most people waiting for a ruling on their refugee claim cannot work in the UK right now. After one year, there are some exceptions for people who are prepared to work in fields where there aren’t enough people, like social care.
The study asks officials to make it easier for foreigners to get social security and public services so they don’t have to work in dangerous or harmful jobs. People who are young and trying to become British citizens or live in the UK should not have to pay as much for immigration and identity fees. Migrants should only wait five years instead of ten years for permanent residency. Also, no one on the path to residency should have to follow “no recourse to public funds” rules for more than five years.
The study says that the government’s policies are pushing refugees into poverty by making them wait a long time for protection and limiting their access to public services and social security payments. It concludes that current immigration policies are “inhumane and ineffective,” putting refugees in poverty and straining taxes, local governments, and public services.
The study wants a comprehensive plan for integrating and helping refugees, and it suggests that politicians should consider giving free English lessons to everyone who lives in the UK, no matter their legal situation.