More awaiting asylum claims in South Tyneside

Home Office figures show 454 people in the area were receiving support as of the end of September – up from 360 in September last year.

Nationally, 101,000 people were receiving some form of asylum support at the end of September, up 46% on last year’s figure.

While awaiting a decision, asylum seekers are unable to work but can be entitled to financial assistance and accommodation through what is known as 'Section 95' support.

In the North East, 5,316 people were receiving Section 95 support at the end of September, up from 4,554 in September 2021.

Recent refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan receive different forms of support and are therefore not included in these figures.

Separate data, also from the Home Office, shows nearly 23,000 Afghans had arrived in the UK as of November 4, while 150,000 Ukrainians had arrived by December 12.

Tamsin Baxter, executive director of external affairs at The Refugee Council, a campaign group for refugees, said: “As the number of people waiting for a decision grows, so does the number of people left in limbo, unable to work and dependent on the Home Office for accommodation and financial support."

The Home Office said it is working on clearing "legacy cases" from before the end of June, which was when the asylum processing system was changed.

It said the new Nationality and Borders Act means it can now differentiate claims based on whether people arrived in the UK through "legal or illegal routes".