Along with a campaign pack, ALDC has written an open letter to present to Home Secretary Priti Patel to lift the 12 month ban on asylum seeker’s right to work in the UK.
Read our letter and add your name to the campaign.
Dear Rt Honourable Priti Patel
The UK has one of the most restrictive approaches to asylum seekers’ right to work in the world.
While most similar countries restrict asylum seekers from working for just 6 months from their arrival (and in many cases even less), we ban asylum seekers from working for 12 months. Furthermore, by imposing the Shortage Occupation List, we restrict the professions asylum seekers can find work in to such an extent that we make it almost impossible for them to find a job.
As a result of these restrictions the number of asylum seekers who are stuck in limbo, unable to work and contribute, continues to increase.
The number of asylum seekers who have waited over 6 months for a decision on their asylum claim is now over 50,000. In most other countries they would be able to find work. Instead in the UK they have to exist on a £5.66 daily allowance.
Not only does this cause unnecessary hardship and suffering for asylum seekers – it makes no economic sense either.
The ‘Lift the Ban’ coalition estimates that preventing asylum seekers who have been in Britain for over 6 months from working costs the UK economy £108.8 million each year in allowance payments and lost revenue from income tax and national insurance.
Furthermore, at a time when the UK is in desperate need of workers, it makes no sense to restrict so many qualified adults from working for no good reason.
A skills audit of asylum seekers, carried out by the Lift the Ban coalition in 2020, found that 45% had previously worked in occupations that would make them critical workers in the UK – with one-in-seven having past experience of working in health and social care professions.
The UK stands alone in imposing such harsh restrictions on asylum seekers’ right to work. It hurts our economy and leaves our vital services shorter-staffed than they need to be. It leaves tens of thousands of human-beings trapped in a benefits system that provides just a tiny £5.66 daily allowance.
The Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors is calling on the Government to give people seeking asylum in the UK the right to work unconstrained by the occupation shortage list after they have waited 6 months for a decision on their asylum claim.
Please see below a list of signatories who are supporting our campaign.
Yours sincerely
Tim Pickstone
Chief Executive
Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors
The Liberal Democrats for Seekers of Sanctuary (LD4SOS) group has campaigned for Asylum Seekers Right to Work for a number of years – alongside a number of other campaigns to support refugees and asylum seekers such as fairer housing, immigration detention and family reunion rules. You can find out more about LD4SOS on their website here.
Petition Signatories
| Councillor Jackie Charlton |
| Sally Burnell |
| Jonathan Gale |
| Councillor Paul Hulbert |
| Jill Brinkworth (Membership Officer – Stevenage Lib Dems) |
| Andrew Waters |
| Fiona Hutmacher |
| Sue Wixley (Vice Chair – Wandsworth Lib Dems) |
| Michele wheeler |
| Rebecca Cave (Chair – Milton Keynes Lib Dems) |
| Chris Maines |
| Isabel l wilks |
| Glenn Oliver |
| Heather Dalziel |
| Pat Jones |
| Alan Hilliar |
| Roy Abraham (former Chesham Town Mayor) |
| Councillor Jason Billin (East Leake Parish Council) |
| Councillor Andrea Bowes (Basingstoke and Deane) |
| Susan Knight |
| Dr Peter Hirst |
| Arran Angus |
| Councillor Russell Gordon-Smith (Winchester City Council) |
| Desire Katihabwa |
| Councillor Alan Tormey |
| Alan Brighouse |
| Andrew Parkhurst |
| Cllr Kate Smith (Amber Valley Parish Council) |
| Councillor Martin Pepper |
| nigel hunter |
| Councillor Peter Lidstone |
| Maureen Poupard |
| Fergus McCann |
| Angela Beatrice Webster |
| Christopher Johnson |
| Tony Little |
| Councillor Paul Drake-Davis (Hull City Council) |
| Susan Kendrick |
| Sara Dellar |
| Hugh Young |
| Stefan Petszaft |
| Sharon Anne Gaskin |
| Penelope James |
| Gill Bevan |
| Martin Meredith |
| Frances Davies |
| Jacquie Gammon |
| Saskia Tallis-Gonggrijp |
| Kathryn Lock |
| Midori Wilkinson |
| Maria Bates |
| Councillor Mark Inskip |
| Matthew Taylor |
| Martin Gregg |
| Councillor Janet King (Bromsgrove District Council) |
| Julian Tooke |
| Liz Skelt |
| Councillor Gordon Adam (Highland District) |
| Councillor Liz Coles |
| Cllr Victoria Atherstone (Cabinet member – Cheltenham BC) |
| John Smithson |
| Councillor Clive Amos |
| Hugh Gorton |
| Clare Campion-Smith |
| Dyan Jones |
| Nat Sweet |
| Callum Chalmers |
| Stephanie KENNING |
| Cllr. Suzette Nicholson (Deputy Mayor – Richmond-upon-Thames LBC) |
| Nick Way |
| janet cornish |
| Peter George |
| Councillor James I Duguid (Eastleigh Borough Council) |
| Anthony Lawrence Hyman |
| Carl Lewis |
| Katy Gordon |
| David Fearn |
| Councillor Frances Hogwood (Dorchester Town Council) |
| Pam Walshe |
| Valerie Homewood |
| Martin Wilkinson |
| Josue Lucas Mitte |
| Councillor Tim Trimble |
| Cllr Katharine Keats-Rohan (Wallingford Town Council) |
| Councillor Sue Cooper (South Oxfordshire DC) |
| Lori Flawn (Regional Secretary – Uttlesford Lib Dems) |
| Councillor Peter Scorer |
| ANITA PRABHAKAR |
| Suzanne Fletcher |
| Sam Boote |
| Pat Jones |
| Councillor Andy Connell (Cumbria County Council) |
| Carol Boulton (Deputy Chair – West End Parish Council) |
| steve martin |
| Councillor Andrew Sosin |
| Margot Wilson |
| Dermot Roaf (Honorary Alderman Oxfordshire County Council) |
| Councillor Jacqui Taylor (St Albans District Council) |
| Colin Wilsdon |
| Councillor Dan Smith (Canterbury City Council) |
| Lord Paul Tyler |
| Councillor John Coombs |
| Tony Paterson |
| Rachel Sadler |
| Dave Taylo |
| Stefan Kasprzyk |
| Susan Skipwith |
| Maurice Vella |
| Judy Smith |
| Linda Medland |
| Councillor Barry Bingham (Chesterfield Borough Council) |
| Councillor Janice Loughlin |
| C Thomas |
| Andrew Hydon |
| Councillor Christine Shaw (Chelmsford City Council) |
| Councillor Margot Power (Winchester City Council) |
| Jennifer Boag |
| Councillor Andrew Varney (Bristol City Council) |
| Philip Latham |
| Councillor Lorna Dupre (Leader of Opposition – East Cambs DC) |
| Bob Tilley |
| Barry Newsome |
| Roderic Parker |
| Councillor Linda Chambers (Hull City Council) |
| Councillor Alan Barnes (Stansted Mountfitchet) |
| Adrienne Marriott |
| Councillor Dave Busby |
| Arthur Wu |
| Councillor Graham Simpkins (Eden District Council) |
| Robert Coates |
| Brian Dash (Honorary Alderman – Hampshire CC) |
| Irina Von Wiese (former MEP – London) |
| Cec Tallack |
| Sue Henchley |
| Jackie Chelin |
| Councillor David Hare |
| Councillor Adrian Collett |
| Ian Dyer |
| Bob Finch |
| Councillor Howard Legg (Dorset Unitary Council) |
| Paul Howard |
| Councillor Mike Stanton (South Somerset District Council) |
| MARILYN HARRIS |
| Tracey Henry |
| Rod Jones |
| Granville Stride |
| Cllr Karen Henshaw JP |
| Jude Storer |
| Councillor Doris Martin (Lancing Parish Council) |
| judy walsh |
| Councillor Ross Henning |
| Councillor Gareth Wilson |
| Malcolm Brown |
| Councillor Alec Sandiford |
| Cllr Jonathan Bentley (Deputy Lib Dem leader – Leeds City Council) |
| Sylvia Jacobs |
| Nigel Adam |
| Kevin Daws |
| Councillor Simon Bond (Windsor and Maidenhead Borough) |
| Alison Glasspool |
| Barry Cash |
| Andrew Hyde |
| Christine Herbert |
| Councillor Patricia Marsh (Harrogate Borough Council) |
| James May |
| Councillor Kathy Grant (Spelthorne Borough Council) |
| Councillor Peter James (Harborough District Council) |
| Jill Norman |
| Rod Dalitz |
| Paul Whittaker |
| Jane Webb |
| Howard Handler |
| Joanna F Sherman |
| Simon Ferrigno |
| Josephine Hanney |
| Councillor Inga Lockington |
| Catherine Smart |
| Dave Armstrong |
| Ric Wegener |
| Pamela Winlow |
| Phil Edey |
| Susan Levinge |
| Councillor Michael Wilson |
| Councillor Andy Reilly |
| Stephen Phillips |
| Liz Jarvis |
| Marion Burton |
| Amanda Rockhill |
| Councillor Keith Orrell |
| Andrew Waters |
| Anthony Wallace |
| Councillor Andrew Makinson |
| Darryl Smalley |
| Baroness Rosalind Scott (House of Lords) |
| Councillor Prue Bray (Wokingham BC) – Chair of ALDC |
| Simon Drage |
| Councillor Tim Pickstone |
| Edis Bevan |
| Diana Simpson |
| Kevin West |
| Frani Hoskins |
| Garry Veevers |