Asylum hotel residents say 'we want to contribute'

Asylum hotel residents say they have no control over what they eat or where they live

Asylum seekers housed in hotels have issued a statement saying protests make them feel "unsafe" and they "want to contribute", in a move they "hope will stop the spread of misinformation".

The statement issued via the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit follows protests outside asylum hotels in the area over summer.

"We want to communicate with people" because "we are aware that some people in the UK are not happy about there being asylum hotels in their area," they said.

The Home Office said it was "furious" at the level of asylum hotels and work was under way to close them. Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said "there must be a better way" to handle asylum seeker accommodation.

The asylum seekers said they were "grateful that we are housed" and did not want to complain but needed "to share information about what life in hotels is really like" to combat the "misinformation" in the media and social media.

"The protests outside hotels make us feel unsafe – but we also know that the protesters do not speak for everyone in Britain," the statement said.

"We also understand that people have concerns about safety and cost, and we want to address those - because we believe that we share similar values."

They emphasised they were individuals and families who had come to the UK seeking safety.

The statement said they were now waiting for a decision on their asylum claims and had little control over where they lived, what they ate, and they were not allowed to work.

"No one would choose to leave their country, we have been forced to leave because of war or persecution."

The statement also recognised there had been isolated cases of people seeking asylum who had committed crimes.

"We are as angry as you are at what they have done, and we believe they should face the force of the law," it said.

'Making big profits'

The group said hotel residents lived on £9.95 per week and had "no choice what to eat" and were not allowed to cook for themselves or for their children.

People on their own were forced to share rooms with strangers, while those with families had to live together in one room, they said.

"We know that the company that runs asylum hotels in the North West, Serco, is making big profits and not spending the money on us," the statement said.

Serco, which run a number of the hotels, said people staying in its accommodation were offered "regular, balanced meals in line with NHS nutritional guidelines".

"Serco is responsible for providing safe accommodation for asylum seekers, where we treat everyone with respect," a spokesperson said.

The residents say they are "committed to integrating into British society".

"Among our members in the GM Hotels Group we have worked in nursing, teaching, special educational needs, engineering, journalism, music and more," they said.

"We understand that people weren't asked about having asylum hotels in their communities, and that they feel ignored.

"We understand this may feel difficult. We also don't have any choice where the Home Office tell us to live.

"Now we are here, we want to be part of and contributing to your community."

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham responded to the statement on BBC Radio Manchester, saying "there must be a better way" to handle the issue.

"I think we should all have concerns about the amount of money that is going into this poorly managed system and the profits that are being made out of it," he said.

"I've seen examples in Greater Manchester where really, very seriously substandard properties are being let out by companies who are raking in a huge amount of money to provide that service."

The Home Office spokesperson said: "We are furious at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels.

"This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well under way, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities."