Refugees in Kent
The background and recent changes
Refugees have always come to Britain and other European countries at different times throughout history to settle in the big cities where they could find their own communities and work. People arriving at Dover would head for London, barely noticed in the coastal towns until 1996, when the Conservative government changed the law depriving most refugees of their right to national benefits while they found work and had their case assessed.
Local authorities in London could not by themselves support all refugees arriving from elsewhere in the UK so people had to stay near their port of entry and for the first time East Kent, a white area with much economic deprivation and unfamiliar with refugee issues, became the host to numbers of foreigners. This caused much local fear and resentment, hostile press coverage and the spread of myths about swamping and flooding.
Asylum-seekers (refugees before they are given permission to stay) were entitled to benefits (but at levels 10% less than for British citizens) and were only allowed to work after 6 months when their cases were still not settled). Almost all found jobs –usually lowpaid unpopular ones—as soon as they legally could; and Kent County Council complained to the new 1997 Labour government about supporting the growing numbers so costs were refunded by government, including for the upkeep of young children arriving alone.
As numbers grew (more in Margate than anywhere) – worsened by some London councils ‘dumping’ people in the cheap East Kent seaside hotels— in April 2000 a new Immigration and Asylum Act arranged national support and ‘dispersal’ of all new arrivals (except unaccompanied minors) straight out of Kent to cities around the country.
Unaccompanied minors for child protection reasons were not dispersed away in ones and twos but kept in the care of Kent social services (again costs paid by government) both inside and outside Kent first in small reception centres and then with foster parents for younger ones and small hostels for older teenagers.
A very few adults have remained working in the community from before April 2000 still waiting for their cases to be heard but most single adults and families were either granted refugee status (when they might move to London or elsewhere) or if refused sent home or into dispersal for their appeals. Among them were the Roma people from Eastern Europe (in Kent mostly Czech Republic and Slovakia) who were not properly protected by their governments from persecution from racist communities and neo-Nazi gangs. (In 2004, the few families still waiting from pre-2000 with children settled in schools were eventually granted leave to remain).
Today
Refugees in Kent may be in any of five different categories:-
a) With tighter immigration controls a smaller number of various nationalities, according to international crises, are here for a few weeks in hotels awaiting dispersal (and not allowed to work). The dispersal system is operated by NASS (National Asylum Support Service) and run in Kent, Sussex and Croydon by the government-funded charity Migrant Helpline from their offices at Dover’s Eastern Docks. Dover arrivals (and to fill already paid-for beds, some from elsewhere) are temporarily housed in contracted local hotels or centres in Dover, Margate and Ashford (together now called the Dover ‘Induction Centre’ ) for a few weeks before being dispersed.
b) A few still living and working in the community since
before 2000 are still waiting for their cases to be heard.
c) Unaccompanied minors stay in reception centres, host
families and small hostels.
d) People granted refugee status (this used to be ILR—Indefinite Leave to Remain but from 05 will be leave for 5 years and then reconsideration, or the former temporary ELR—Exceptional Leave to Remain now called Humanitarian Protection for 5 years before reconsideration) who may choose to stay locally because they have jobs, have made friends—and families may have children settled in local schools. They are valuable new residents with the right to settle in Kent and make their contribution to local life and the local economy. Many in the East Kent area currently work as interpreters for Migrant Helpline.
e) And since May 02 the former Dover Young Offenders Institute has become an Immigration Removal (‘Detention’) Centre for some waiting for their cases to be heard and some with failed cases, waiting to be returned to their country of origin. (Since EU expansion citizens of new member countries are now entitled to come here to work like other EU nationals, but not eligible for any benefits until after they have found jobs).
ASYLUM SEEKERS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR DOVER!
- As a result of the asylum seekers’ presence in Dover, at one time over 300 extra local people were directly employed. This employment included people working at Migrant Helpline, Hotels and Guest Houses, Social Services, Health and other support services. In view of Dover`s difficult employment situation, these people might otherwise have remained without jobs. Many others were indirectly employed as a result of the accommodation needs of asylum seekers, such as plumbers, electricians, builders, carpet-layers etc.
- Asylum Seekers actually brought considerable money into Dover shops and businesses, previously through spending vouchers and now through the purchase of goods and services by the accommodation providers and support services responsible for newcomers for a few weeks before they are dispersed out of Kent. The total value of this new input into the Dover economy is very considerable.
- Many businesses in Dover might not have survived without the asylum seekers. The few guests coming to Dover were not previously enough to fill all the hotels (especially during the winter months) and many were failing before the arrival of asylum seekers in the area. But while some hotels were still catering for the “passing trade” others, usually empty, were occupied providing the temporary accommodation. It became noticeable that many of the hotels in Folkestone Road for example were refurbished and painted up through new business and the area began to look much smarter for everyone.
- Dover has become a little more multicultural and multi-ethnic as some refugees with permission to stay have settled down permanently in the area. This may not be to everybody`s liking but in the long run it will be a positive development. New music groups arose available to hire for functions and there may eventually be a greater variety of food outlets. The liveliness and interest provided by a varied population is certain to make Dover a more positive attraction for tourists to stay around.
- A government report – “Migration: An Economic And Social Analysis” shows that asylum seekers are in fact an economic benefit to the economy in general, not a drain as most people presume. Historically every influx of refugees who have arrived in this country and stayed permanently have brought many benefits including frequently starting new businesses and providing much extra employment rather than taking jobs from local people
- It is naturally hard for local people themselves in difficult circumstances to see the benefits of change and real problems arose from an unprepared new situation, but helping those who need to flee persecution and terror should be considered a privilege rather than a burden by those of us lucky enough to live in a democracy - especially when it is actually in the interests of Dover residents in the long run. The local feeling by some against asylum-seekers is not shared by those whose jobs and livelihoods depend on their presence in Dover and the many more likely to benefit in the future.
Many people were convinced that asylum-seekers had more than local people and could afford a better lifestyle.
In Fact:-
They have always been given 10% less in benefits than UK citizens, for a while on vouchers so they could not shop in cheap markets, and now they are given 30% less than UK citizens.
They were NEVER put in council houses in Kent – so no-one ever waited longer for accommodation because of them. They were often offered flats and houses in such bad condition that local people had refused them – sometimes they were lucky and got a newer decent property.
Now they are not allowed to work, so those arriving in Kent awaiting dispersal are forced to live entirely on benefits.
When people before 2000 were first offered a local unfurnished flat or house they had to rely on charity for beds etc for weeks until a furniture grant or loan came through and then suddenly seemed to have a lot of money.
Many refugees are well-paid professionals and just as likely to own good clothes and a mobile phone before they fled as anyone else. If not they may buy one with what little cash they brought with them or save up, as this is often the ONLY way they can try to contact families left behind (In Dover they used to congregate round the phone boxes in the Folkestone Road, which local people found threatening.)
Many refugees, rich or poor, arrive in summer with only what they can carry so without winter clothing or replacement footwear. Some local people or charities helped them buy cheap 2nd-hand, and one charity told us they once were donated a batch of designer labels and bags, giving rise to suspicions of unimaginable wealth!).
Refugee family groups helped each other and some shared a little of their existing or support cash to buy a very cheap shared 2nd hand car to get to their shift work. This gave rise to many extraordinary rumours – such as social services giving refugees cars and mobiles! – people should check these stories to find out the facts of what really happened and why, instead of just passing them on.
If people assume, as in the early days they did, that all non-whites in the local area were refugees they were confusing them with British citizens, many born here or even third generation or more, and some British or foreign holiday makers and also wealthy students at local universities and colleges and the many language schools in East Kent.
In conclusion a lot of these beliefs at the time came from the fact that local people in economically deprived areas feared they were being neglected in favour of refugees, which was not the case. Local poor conditions are the responsibility of local councils and politicians. They have certainly not been made worse from the arrival of refugees but on the contrary there has been a boost to local economies with many new jobs for local people, created either directly or indirectly from refugees’ presence in the area.
In a rich country with generally very low unemployment many refugees take jobs local people don’t want while many bring desperately needed skills and contribute to services like the NHS. They bring a new energy and vibrancy to their adopted area with often a greater variety of ethnic food and music, they need our help and we need to remember the many famous people and the surprising number of British families (and politicians) who began life here as refugees.