The process of asylum-seeker dispersal and unsuitable housing is causing hardship and isolation among disabled refugees and asylum seekers, a report has warned.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation study concluded: "Unsuitable housing, unmet personal care needs, communication difficulties and a lack of basic information about services and benefits are among the major problems [disabled asylum seekers] face."

The report found there was no official record of the number of chronically sick and disabled refugees, and that people were missing out on entitlements due to a lack of information about them among service providers. Unsuitable housing, such as above-ground-level accommodation with poor access, compounded isolation for disabled refugees and asylum seekers.

Service providers interviewed by the JRF criticised the National Asylum Support Service and the government policy of dispersal of asylum seekers for a lack of consideration of disabled people. The report recommends that key staff in NASS, social services and voluntary sector organisations should be given detailed, specialist training.

Refugee Council chief executive Nick Hardwick said: "It is extremely worrying that people are not getting critical support and help because of a lack of understanding about entitlements. The shirking of responsibility has resulted in disabled refugees and asylum seekers being yo-yoed between social services and NASS and ultimately suffering as a result."

  • Disabled People in Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Communities, JRF, £12. Call 01235 465500