Asylum Seeker Moves Near Completion

With new Home Office contracts agreed for the housing of asylum seekers in Glasgow, over 700 asylum seekers (84%) have already transferred from being supported and accommodated by Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Housing Association respectively, to support and accommodation being provided by YMCA Glasgow and the Angel Group.  That leaves 125 asylum seekers still to be re-housed over the next couple of months.

Most asylum seekers in Glasgow – there are 5,000 altogether, less than 1% of Glasgow’s total population – have not been affected by the contractual changes at all and are not required to move home.

Glasgow City Council, NASS, the Angel Group and YMCA Glasgow will be meeting with affected households in Pollockshaws to re-assure them that every effort will be made to re-house them in the same area and to talk to them about the timetable and arrangements for the moves.

Councillor Andy White, Leader of West Dunbartonshire Council and the spokesperson for COSLA Refugee and Asylum Seekers’ Consortium commented, “I welcome the meetings that are planned with asylum seekers affected by the new contracts.  The meetings are necessary and I hope they are helpful to the people involved at what must be a stressful time.  The Consortium  – which brings together local and central government, housing providers, police, health and voluntary sectors, and asylum seeker representatives – is keen to ensure that there is minimum disruption caused for affected asylum seekers.  There are lessons to be learned and shared to make sure that asylum seekers and the wider communities in which they live, are kept well-informed about proposed changes.”