Charity hits out at poor asylum seeker housing

Salt crystals forming on the walls of the hostel suggest a damp problem

A charity that supports asylum seekers seeking refuge in Stoke-on-Trent has hit out at poor quality accommodation.

One woman, housed in a city hostel for six years, said she often had to use toilet facilities at a nearby supermarket.

The charity raised concerns about plumbing issues as well as damp and a lack of insulation.

Serco, which runs the hostel, said it was confident the accommodation met required standards.

Sue Bramall said asylum seekers were housed in "low cost" hostels

"Damp is a really common problem in a lot of the older properties around here," said Sue Bramall from the charity Sanctus.

"It is variable but generally it's not at the top end of the scale - people are dispersed here because it's a lower cost option."

When Tamani* arrived in the UK from Malawi, she was placed in the hostel for six years while she waited for permission to stay.

She described the conditions as "not good", saying her health conditions were exacerbated and she often contracted infections.

"The kitchen was dirty, sometimes you can't go to the toilet," she said. "You prefer to go to Tesco's toilet than to use the toilet in the room."

The criticism comes as housing for asylum seekers is increasingly part of the political agenda.

In nearby Stafford, Conservative MP Theo Clarke raised objections in the Commons to plans to turn former student flats into a centre for asylum seekers.

A public inquiry is underway following an appeal by Serco, which has a number of government contracts to house asylum seekers, to overturn a planning refusal from the council there.

Back in Stoke-on-Trent, hotels were block booked at the end of last year to house refugees and are still fully occupied.

"We ultimately need to see those numbers coming down," said Jack Brereton, Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent South.

*Names have been changed to protect identities