Equality and the UK asylum process

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 27 Sep 2021 Closed: 6 Feb 2024 Parliament page
An inquiry to examine the fairness of the UK asylum process, looking at the experiences of people seeking asylum who have a range of protected characteristics (as defined in the UK’s Equality Act). Read the terms of reference to find out more about this inquiry .
23 Recommendations
13 Conclusions
1 Report
6 Oral sessions
8 Letters
7 Events
Activity timeline 23 events
19 Sep
2023
Report published
27 Jun
2023
Report published
19 Apr
2023
Correspondence
1 Feb
2023
Correspondence
25 Jan
2023
Oral evidence
25 Jan
2023
Correspondence
25 Jan
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
18 Jan
2023
Correspondence
16 Jan
2023
Correspondence
16 Jan
2023
Correspondence
16 Jan
2023
Correspondence
4 Jul
2022
Informal meeting · Birmingham
Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions
25 Jan 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Dan Hobbs · Home Office Mandy Ivemy · Home Office The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP · Home Office
15 Jun 2022
View on parliament.uk
Equality and the UK asylum process
Andy Hewett · Refugee Council Esther Baleh Jennifer Blair · Ukraine Advice Project UK Zahra Shaheer
27 Apr 2022
View on parliament.uk
Equality and the UK asylum process
Esther Muchena · Scottish Refugee Council Ms Rivka Shaw · Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) Rosalind Bragg · Maternity Action
23 Mar 2022
View on parliament.uk
Equality and the UK asylum process
Annie . · VOICES Network Kathryn Cronin · Garden Court Chambers Ms Pip McKnight · Refugee Women Connect Ms Priscilla Dudhia · Women for Refugee Women Roxana . · VOICES Network
23 Feb 2022
View on parliament.uk
Equality and UK asylum process
Dr S Chelvan Leila Zadeh · Rainbow Migration Professor Nuno Ferreira · University of Sussex
26 Jan 2022
View on parliament.uk
Equality and the Asylum Process
David Goodhart · Policy Exchange Jonathan Thomas · Social Market Foundation Ms Zoe Gardner · Joint Council on the Welfare of Immigrants Rossella Pulvirenti · Manchester Metropolitan University
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asylum process HC 93 27 Jun 2023 36 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
8 results
Clear
5 Recommendation Rejected
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Publish findings of 2019-20 review and steps to improve SOGI asylum decision-making.
The Home Office should demonstrate it is taking effective steps to mitigate the risk of unequal effects in the asylum process. There is a range of distinct difficulties faced by people claiming asylum on grounds of sexual orientation or gender-identity. … Read more
Government Response
The government explicitly rejects publishing the main findings of its 2019–20 internal review. It states that it learns from errors through improved guidance, training, and an established quality audit process, including specialist checks for decision-makers handling sexual identity or FGM claims.
Government Equalities Office
View details
6 Conclusion Rejected
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Home Office Country Policy Notes show concerning inaccuracies affecting asylum claim decisions.
We share expert witnesses’ concerns about the performance of the Home Office Country Policy and Information Team and the accuracy and timeliness of Country Policy and Information Notes (CPINs). We heard several examples of outdated or otherwise inaccurate CPINs leading … Read more
Government Response
The government dismisses concerns about the Country Policy and Information Team's performance and CPIN quality, stating that a discrete review is not necessary. It explains that CPIT regularly reviews and updates CPINs and its products are already subject to external review.
Government Equalities Office
View details
7 Recommendation Rejected
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Review Country Policy Information Team performance and introduce training for CPIN interpretation.
We recommend the Home Office conduct a review of the performance of the Country Policy Information Team, including its ability to maintain and update high quality CPINs in a timely manner. We further recommend the Home Office introduce a new … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to conduct a review of the Country Policy and Information Team's performance, stating it is not necessary. Regarding training, it notes that decision-makers receive a bespoke module on CPIN use as part of the current training programme, and work is underway to review and improve this training.
Government Equalities Office
View details
10 Conclusion Rejected
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Lack of expert legal representation for complex asylum claims causes poor decisions and appeals.
There is a lack of access to expert legal representation for people claiming asylum in the UK. This is particularly problematic in relation to complex claims, often involving sexual orientation or gender identity, religious belief or renunciation of belief, and … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the committee's suggestion that there is insufficient access to legal advice for asylum seekers, citing existing legal aid provisions and £34m spent in 2021/23. It commits to updating the Exceptional Case Funding process to ensure it is simple and accessible.
Government Equalities Office
View details
14 Conclusion Rejected
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Inadequate asylum support payments necessitate linking rates to mainstream social security benefits.
£40 per week was clearly inadequate to meet the essential living needs of people seeking asylum in the UK. Women, including those with children, face particular difficulties and near-impossible choices about how to provide for themselves and their families. It … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the committee's implicit suggestion to link asylum support to Universal Credit, stating its position remains that Universal Credit is not set according to the 'essential living needs' test but to 'help with basic living costs'.
Government Equalities Office
View details
15 Recommendation Rejected
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Set weekly asylum support at 70% of Universal Credit, considering women's payments.
We recommend the Government set the weekly asylum support payments at 70% of the standard over 25s rate of Universal Credit. The Government should also consider increasing the payment for women to address specifically concerns regarding period poverty. (Paragraph 111) … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to set weekly asylum support payments at 70% of Universal Credit, reiterating its stance that Universal Credit is not for 'essential living needs.' It does not address the suggestion for increased payments for women for period poverty.
Government Equalities Office
View details
24 Conclusion Rejected
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Nationality and Borders Act equality assessment inadequate, risking unequal effects on vulnerable asylum seekers.
We agree with legal and policy experts that the Government’s equality impact assessment of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022’s asylum provisions is inadequate. There are clear risks, acknowledged by the Government, of unequal effects on asylum claimants with vulnerabilities … Read more
Government Response
The government believes any differential impact is because of an individual’s conduct and is proportionate to control illegal migration and reduce crime.
Government Equalities Office
View details
25 Recommendation Rejected
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Publish updated equality impact assessment and mitigation plan for Nationality and Borders Act provisions.
The Home Office must publish an updated equality impact assessment of the Nationality and Borders Act’s asylum provisions within three months. Alongside this assessment it should publish a mitigation plan to prevent discriminatory effects of the Act’s asylum provisions on … Read more
Government Response
The government believes any differential impact is because of an individual’s conduct and is proportionate to control illegal migration and reduce crime.
Government Equalities Office
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 36 of 23 classified
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 9
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 7
Rejected 8
Total 23 recs + 13 conclusions
Correspondence 8 letters
19 Apr 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Immigration relating to follow-up evidence to the Committee’s inquiry on Equality and the UK asylum process
Parliament page
1 Feb 2023 To committee Response from the Director of Detention Services on further questions relating to the Derwentside visit
Parliament page
25 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Committee to Frances Hardy, Director of Detention Services, Immigration Enforcement, Home Office, relating to Derwentside IRC
Parliament page
18 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Chair to Tom Pursglove on Equality and the UK Asylum Process
Parliament page
16 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Director of Detention Services relating to the Committee’s visit to Derwentside
Parliament page
16 Jan 2023 From committee Letter to the Head of Detention Progression and Returns Command relating to the Committee’s visit to Derwentside
Parliament page
16 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Immigration relating to the asylum inquiry
Parliament page
15 Jun 2022 Correspondence from EHRC regarding of a report into the experience and treatment of low paid ethnic minority workers in health and adult social care
Parliament page