More asylum seekers find a home in South Tyneside

More asylum seekers awaiting claim decisions.

Figures from the Home Office shows 455 people were claiming asylum assistance in the borough as of December – up from 436 a year before.

Of these, 435 were receiving Section 95 support – financial assistance and accommodation because they are not able to work while awaiting a decision.

Claimants may also be eligible for Section 98 – given to those who appear destitute and are waiting to see if they are eligible for Section 95.

Five claimants were receiving Section 98 support in South Tyneside as of December.

The figures come as the UK's backlog in asylum applications topped 160,900, a 60% rise on the same period in 2021, and the highest figure since current records began in 2010.

The data has sparked a call for a system founded on "compassion and competence" by a refugee charity.

The Refugee Council called the backlog "alarming", adding people fleeing persecution are being left "in limbo" while awaiting a decision.

The charity’s chief executive, Enver Solomon, added."We need an asylum system that isn’t just about control, but is also about compassion and competence.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to clear 92,600 initial asylum claims in the system at the end of June by the end of 2023 but the Migration

In an effort to speed up the process, thousands of asylum seekers will now be sent 10-page questionnaires to fill out instead of facing an interview, with officials warning their claim could be “withdrawn” if they do not reply with the required information.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Our priority is to stop the small boats coming across the Channel and ensure that people who come here illegally are detained and swiftly removed.

“We are working to speed up asylum processing so that people do not wait months or years in the backlog, at vast expense to the taxpayer, and to remove everyone who doesn’t have a legitimate reason to be here.”

“To ensure our processes remain robust and all claims are properly considered, we have recruited hundreds of caseworkers.”