Temporary Reprieve for Glasgow’s Asylum seekers as Sheriff Court Puts Hold on 130 Lock Change Evictions

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Positive Action in Housing, the refugee and migrant homelessness charity, has welcomed the news today that around 130 court actions concerning the proposed lock-changes by Serco were put on hold or continued – protecting the clients in all of these cases from having their locks changed. Another handful of cases were dismissed, as asylum support had been reinstated for those clients.

Responding to this news, Robina Qureshi, Director, said:

“This is a welcome decision. Our caseworkers worked tirelessly round the clock in collaboration with Glasgow lawyers including Latta & Co, Shelter Scotland, Legal Services Agency and Govan Law Centre to block Serco from embarking on its lock-change programme since it was recommenced in June 2019. Our network meetings were instrumental in encouraging an en masse approach of pursuing interim interdicts. Since June 2019, we have directly assisted 102 men and women from 26 different countries of origin, the greatest numbers are from Iran, Eritrea, Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria. We worked to make fast track referrals to solicitors to secure interim interdicts. We also provided advice, casework challenges to Serco, community hosting and crisis grants to those left without support. Some people did decide to give up their accommodation under pressure and either went to stay with friends or went down South.

“But this is a temporary reprieve , as we still await a Court of Session appeal decision against summary evictions by lock changes. That decision defines what happens next in Glasgow, and it provides hope for those campaigning for refugee housing rights across the UK. In the meantime, we welcome the fact that around 130 people are protected by Scotland law from rogue actions by Serco trying to turn a highly vulnerable and traumatised community onto the streets of Glasgow, with no recourse. 

“Serco – a multinational worth billions – is still trying to force out asylum seekers who don’t have interdicts and its a case of making sure people know their rights. Asylum seekers are vulnerable because they are unlikely to have access to homelessness accommodation that the rest of us can expect as a basic right. Those who are threatened with destitution have been referred successfully by our own caseworkers, also British Red Cross and the Glasgow Night Shelter to our Room for Refugees hosting programme. We have managed to found safe shelter in the homes of generous Glasgow host families with spare rooms to offer. Currently, we are accommodating between 60 and 70 men, women and children every single night, at no cost to the state. Around one third of our current residents are accommodated in Glasgow.

“Some people have had their rights reinstated, and this is par for the course, the Home Office routinely refuses cases out of hand, cuts off peoples support only to be forced to reinstate that support. Its like a yo yo effect that goes on for years and often ends in people getting their right to remain. Making people destitute just means it takes longer to get their case heard. when your street homeless, without support of any kind, you are trying to survive each day, not think about legal paperwork. The suffering and stress caused by the threat of destitution is immense and often results in serious mental and physical health problems. It hurts our society too, because when society makes refugees destitute, it is delaying their path to resettlement and contributing as taxpayers of the future.” ENDS

More info:

1. To support our crisis prevention work give a regular donation here www.positiveactionh.org/donate.

2. We need more volunteers to come forward to offer a spare room in their home, or an empty property, please register your offer here

3. In 2017-18, Positive Action in Housing provided emergency crisis support and shelter to 1,400 asylum seeking families and individuals. At any one time we provide shelter through Room for Refugees to 70-100 families or individuals each night in the homes of volunteer “hosts”.