A look at the situation in Nottingham city of the numbers of people seeking asylum, refugees and people refused asylum.
Demographics & Population:
- Population of Asylum Seekers: Nottingham had 1,550 asylum seekers as of September 2023, representing 0.47% of the city’s population. This reflects an increase of around 900 people seeking asylum since 2014, indicating a growing demand for support services.
- Total Population Growth: Nottingham’s total population grew by 22,800 people between 2011 and 2022.
- Accommodation Types:
- Dispersed Accommodation (Home Office-funded community-based housing): 75% of asylum seekers live in this type of accommodation.
- Contingency Accommodation (hotels/hostels): Around 25% of asylum seekers live in this more temporary arrangement.
- A small number of asylum seekers arrange their own accommodation.
- Gender & Age Distribution: 60% of asylum seekers in Nottingham are male, while 40% are female. The population is notably young, with 77% being under 35 years old.
Refugees & Resettlement:
- Estimated Refugee Population: Nottingham is estimated to host around 3,242 refugees based on a conservative calculation (1.4% of the total UK refugee population), though local services believe the actual number is likely double that.
- Resettlement Programs: There are around 2,000 people accessing resettlement schemes in Nottingham, primarily from Ukraine and Afghanistan, representing 0.60% of the population.
- Refugee Status Impact: Those granted refugee status can work and live anywhere in the UK. Many choose to remain in Nottingham due to housing ties formed during their asylum process. Family reunions are another factor contributing to the refugee population.
People Refused Asylum:
- Numbers: Based on local services’ observations, there are an estimated 300-500 people in Nottingham who have been refused asylum and do not have active asylum applications.
Homelessness Among Asylum Seekers & Refugees:
- Sharp Increase in Applications: Since the implementation of the Streamlined Asylum Processing (SAP) in 2023, which sped up asylum decisions, there has been a significant increase in homelessness applications from asylum seekers and refugees. Between September and December 2023, 213 people from this group applied for homelessness assistance, a 26% increase over the same period in 2022.
- Temporary Accommodation: Only a small proportion of applicants are classified as being in “priority need,” but the number of households approved for temporary accommodation has increased, with 42 households approved between January and March 2024.
Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC):
- Numbers: There were 45 UASC in Nottingham’s care in 2023, representing 0.06% of the child population. This number has remained stable since 2019, unlike in neighboring areas like Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, where the numbers of UASC have significantly increased.
- Care Leavers: 26% of Nottingham’s 18-25-year-old care leavers were formerly UASC, indicating a large long-term impact on local care services.
- Age and Gender: UASC are predominantly male (96%) and older, with only 14% under the age of 16. Nationally, UASC represent 9% of all looked-after children.
Health & Wellbeing:
- Health Challenges: People seeking asylum, refugees, and those refused asylum face several health risks, including:
- Mental Health: High levels of stress, mental distress, and PTSD.
- Physical Health: Untreated chronic conditions, poor oral health, communicable diseases, and reduced immunization rates.
- Women’s Health: Poor maternal health outcomes and an increased prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual/gender-based violence.
- Wider Determinants of Health: This population faces additional challenges such as poverty, exploitation, poor housing, social isolation, and barriers to accessing healthcare services.
- Service Access Barriers: Language barriers, discrimination, fear of charges, and confusion over healthcare eligibility remain significant issues. In a survey, 28% of asylum seekers reported avoiding healthcare due to fears about costs.
Stakeholder Views:
- Community Feedback:
- Positive Experiences: 80% of asylum seekers found GP registration easy, although 14% faced challenges.
- Interpreter Services: Inconsistent interpreter availability, especially for dental and optical services, is a recurring issue. This often leads to difficulties in accessing healthcare.
- Fear of Costs: Many asylum seekers avoid healthcare due to concerns about being charged, highlighting a gap in awareness or clarity about entitlements.
- Challenges in Appointments: Booking healthcare appointments is difficult for non-English speakers, and all eight asylum seekers interviewed in 2023 required assistance to make appointments.
- Stakeholder Feedback:
- Stakeholders identified emerging challenges, including increased housing instability, mental health issues, and the strain on voluntary sector services.
- Housing insecurity is linked to other concerns, such as the impact on children’s health and education.
Policy, Funding, & Legislative Impacts:
- Policy Changes: The Illegal Migration Act and Streamlined Asylum Process introduced in 2023 have created uncertainties around long-term pathways for asylum seekers. The long-term availability of government funding and support for local authorities and health services is also in question.
- Funding Pressure: Nottingham’s services are under pressure from short-term funding arrangements, and local authorities face challenges in securing long-term infrastructure support.
Strategic Recommendations
- Strategic Leadership: A strategic partnership is recommended to bring together the NHS, Nottingham City Council, the Police, and the voluntary/community sector to address these populations’ health and wellbeing in a more coordinated manner.
- Information Gathering: The report recommends audits of health checks for asylum seekers and UASC to better understand their specific needs. Engagement should also be expanded, particularly targeting women and UASC.
- Healthcare Access: Services should focus on improving access to healthcare, including greater investment in interpreter services and improved mental and oral health care pathways for asylum seekers and refugees.
- Homelessness Prevention: Specific strategies for preventing homelessness in the asylum seeker and refugee populations should be developed, with targeted interventions to support their housing stability.
Source: Nottingham City Council Joint Strategic Needs Assessment report May 2024.
• Nottingham: Council approves 5-year £684,000 contract for asylum seekers and refugees healthcare