Asylum seekers in Glasgow left with 30p a day after bus fare

A Glasgow MSP has highlighted the choice of food or travel facing the thousands of people seeking asylum.

Paul Sweeney, Labour MSP has written to the Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes, ahead of the Scottish budget on Thursday, asking her to fund extending the free travel scheme to asylum seekers.

READ MORE: Glasgow asylum seekers say £5 a day is not enough to live on

He said while the blame is “squarely with the Conservative UK Government at Westminster” who regulate asylum policy and set the allowance, the Scottish Government would use its powers over transport to provide free travel and ease the financial plight.

Sweeney said it would cost £360,000 a year, in total, to give every asylum seeker free travel.

He said people are walking for miles in the rain to get to essential appointments because they have no money for bus fares.

READ MORE: Foster carers in Glasgow call for allowance increase

The MSP said: “There are 3616 asylum seekers in Scotland in receipt of section 95 support none of whom have the right to work and all of whom depend on just over £5 a day from the Home Office to survive.

“With the wholly inadequate financial support they receive, people seeking asylum have to find a way to travel to health appointments, meetings with lawyers or Home Office officials, places of worship and social events whilst ensuring there is money left over to feed themselves and their families.

“For context an all-day bus fare in Glasgow is £4.70, leaving approximately 30p to spend on essentials.”

He told the Finance Secretary: “Having spoken with various organisations who support asylum seekers and refugees in Glasgow, I have heard if a number of horror stories regarding the lack of affordable access to travel.”

He said one man walked ten miles in the rain to get to and from a dentist appointment because he had no bus fare.

Sweeney added: “The blame for this lies squarely at the door of the Conservative UK Government at Westminster.

“However, there are certainly ways that the Scottish Government can improve the lives of asylum seekers in Scotland within devolved competencies, and this is one of them.”

Vongayi Mufara came to Glasgow from Zimbabwe in 2017.

She said: “I’m not allowed to work in the UK. So as a mum, a single parent of three children, I spend most of my time looking after my children.

“I get £5 allowance for the day and it’s really difficult to make it work with £5 in a day. Sometimes I need to go out with the baby and to buy food for the children.

“I am required to attend appointments with my lawyer here and there, just following up on my case and I usually take the bus. The all day pass is £4.70 which takes my daily support allowance that I get.

“So, on the day that I have to travel I have to choose between paying for a bus fare of buying food.

“Free bus travel would really make a huge difference for me and all the other asylum seekers.”

Simon, came to Glasgow from Democratic Republic of Congo 15 years ago and is still seeking asylum.

He said: “Glasgow is a beautiful city and really welcomes the refugees.

“Right now, I’m a student studying health and social care. I enjoy helping people, it’s my passion.

“Imagine as a human how could you survive with just £5 a day.

“I believe the Scottish Government can do something to help us for such small change.”

Sweeney added: “Extending concessionary travel to include asylum seekers would not only remove the need for individuals to choose between food and travel but would also allow people seeking asylum the right to social inclusion, to see more of the country that is now their home and would encourage the use of more active travel.

He said it could cost £100 per year per asylum seeker making the total cost around £360,000 per year.