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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Men’s Asylum seeker accommodation next to school

569 replies

chibcha · 07/07/2023 22:36

I feel quite ashamed by how I feel but want to know if it warranted.

There has been an announcement that a 500 men’s asylum seeker accommodation is going ahead against councils decision (it was overruled on a national scale). This is Stafford btw

It will be butted up to (no gap) to my DCs school and opposite a nursery. It’s not because they are asylum seekers that concerns me. It’s the fact it’a 500 men unit, with many with no known history / criminal records/ mental state.

I work over an hour away and currently my daughter who is 12 walks to the bus etc, she also does after school clubs then walks home alone. Most parents at the school are talking about moving their kids but in reality and logistically that’s not going to happen.

I genuinely feel scared for her safety. AIBU?
Its the location of it that’s wrong and the fact the council stated issues and concerns so refused it but got overruled by the government…

OP posts:
Thread gallery
18
Goldfoot · 08/07/2023 15:05

Swrigh1234 · 08/07/2023 14:58

How much money do you want them get? They are literally living for free with no responsibility.

The mind boggles.

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They want to work though (and we have jobs that need filling) and our not fit for purpose system drags out that possibility for years.

It no accident the system doesn't work either, the delays are quite deliberate. Government knows most of their claims, when eventually heard, will be successful and obviously this right wing government can't be seen to have presided over that.

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:06

Jobseekers allowance for those people who have lost their hotel jobs is £9.60 per day (£67.20 per week) after years of paying tax.

Rent, elec, gas, ct, food, clothes etc still have to be paid out of this, none of which asylum seekers have to find from their allowance.

Goldfoot · 08/07/2023 15:08

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:06

Jobseekers allowance for those people who have lost their hotel jobs is £9.60 per day (£67.20 per week) after years of paying tax.

Rent, elec, gas, ct, food, clothes etc still have to be paid out of this, none of which asylum seekers have to find from their allowance.

Not to be picky obviously, but no one is paying rent from job seekers as their only household income. If they have rent due they'll be on other benefits too.

AngryGreasedSantaCatcus · 08/07/2023 15:12

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:06

Jobseekers allowance for those people who have lost their hotel jobs is £9.60 per day (£67.20 per week) after years of paying tax.

Rent, elec, gas, ct, food, clothes etc still have to be paid out of this, none of which asylum seekers have to find from their allowance.

They do need to pay for their food ,clothes, toiletries etc. If they are provided food then the allowance drops to £9.10 a week.

It's also doubtful that someone on JSA would have just that as their only source of income and support.

However, two wrongs don't make a right. Both groups are receiving a pittance , and even if asylum seekers got nothing, that wouldn't increase the money for people on JSA, so it's irrelevant really.

Leastsaidsoonestscrewed · 08/07/2023 15:13

calmcoco · 07/07/2023 23:33

Dominate this country???

We have the most right wing Home Secretary ever, part of a government that has crushed the right to protest and is really extreme on asylum issues.

The pretence the liberals are in charge is pure bullshit.

Perhaps if the liberals actually were in charge there'd be more border staff to actually process some claims.

Painting over murals is not going to achieve anything.

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This. But the RWingers as well as being bigoted and full of hate love to whinge on about how persecuted they are, so people are distracted from the nastiness of their opinions.

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:13

@Goldfoot so even more cost to the tax payer.

Goldfoot · 08/07/2023 15:16

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:13

@Goldfoot so even more cost to the tax payer.

Where? Sorry I don't know what you're responding to.

My thoughts are that government need to get their claims sorted more efficiently so they can work and contribute to the economy. What's the additional cost there?

AngryGreasedSantaCatcus · 08/07/2023 15:17

@Swrigh1234 you do realise they're not allowed to work don't you? So it's not that they expect it, it's all they are allowed to do. Live where they're told, on the amount they're given.

Maireas · 08/07/2023 15:19

CampsieGlamper · 08/07/2023 14:30

Given that a large number of asylum seekers are coming from countries whose attitudes to women and to other groups who are accepted and are celebrated for being diverse, are they at any point given advice on British tolerance, acceptance and broadmindedness, and liberal attitudes?

That's a very good question, isn't it. It must be a culture shock for many of these men to see women here behaving and living quite differently.

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:20

@Goldfoot the additional cost is for benefits now being paid to people who have been sacked from their hotel jobs so asylum seekers can be accomodated.

TomorrowToday · 08/07/2023 15:23

AngryGreasedSantaCatcus · 08/07/2023 15:17

@Swrigh1234 you do realise they're not allowed to work don't you? So it's not that they expect it, it's all they are allowed to do. Live where they're told, on the amount they're given.

So a "safe country" with all good, medical, legal and a roof over their head.... at no cost. Option to bring family over and full benefit system when approved? Sounds amazing.

Bromptotoo · 08/07/2023 15:24

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:06

Jobseekers allowance for those people who have lost their hotel jobs is £9.60 per day (£67.20 per week) after years of paying tax.

Rent, elec, gas, ct, food, clothes etc still have to be paid out of this, none of which asylum seekers have to find from their allowance.

The figure you quote is the Under 25 rate of JSA, over 25 it rises to £84.80. The Standard Allowances in Universal Credit (UC) are similar but as it's calculated and paid monthly the amounts are £292.11 or £368.74.

If JSA, which requires you to meet some conditions around having paid NI, is your only income and you pay rent then UC will give you a Housing Costs Element. You'll also get help with Council Tax although very few Councils pay all of it.

StressedToDeathhhh · 08/07/2023 15:24

I wouldn't be happy with this either. Or with the student flats someone suggested. 500 female asylum seekers would be absolutely fine but 500 men absolutely not

Goldfoot · 08/07/2023 15:25

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:20

@Goldfoot the additional cost is for benefits now being paid to people who have been sacked from their hotel jobs so asylum seekers can be accomodated.

Hospitality can't recruit, those people won't be on benefits for long if they want work.

JazbayGrapes · 08/07/2023 15:27

It’s not “not next door to me” it’s “not like that”.
try thinking a little bit harder about the objections. You might get there.

All the objections raised are very valid. I assume, the #bekind brigade isn't having this "centre" next door to them.

It's a shit idea to house large groups of idle men in an area where it will likely cause tension. As if by design somebody is instigating trouble.

PeskyPotato · 08/07/2023 15:27

I work in IA's where refugee men are housed. Many are near schools. On the whole I love the guys, and work hard to help them in many ways, but I wouldn't want my daughter walking alone past any of the hotels. It's just a lot of men, alone, bored, hanging around with no money and no where to go. Nothing against where they've come from, if they could work it would be so much better for them and our country rather than paying so much to house and feed them when all they want is to work and contribute. But there's a bad few in any group. 500 is a lot.

TomorrowToday · 08/07/2023 15:27

@Goldfoot they won't be allowed to live in that accommodation if they took the job.

So back to renting from the free market. Which doesn't make sense on min wage.

Goldfoot · 08/07/2023 15:29

TomorrowToday · 08/07/2023 15:27

@Goldfoot they won't be allowed to live in that accommodation if they took the job.

So back to renting from the free market. Which doesn't make sense on min wage.

This accommodation isn't hotels though?

TomorrowToday · 08/07/2023 15:33

The accommodation is a higher rate because of the support provided by the asylum seekers. So the rent is covered by benefits and when they start to work they won't be able to afford the rent. They also won't be able to live as they won't reach the criteria, as won't be an asylum seeker

Goldfoot · 08/07/2023 15:34

We know large groups of men (any men) is always bad news for women and anti social behaviour, be that football fans, stag dos, soldiers on RnR. It's not racist to say 500 bored men on your doorstep would be pretty unpleasant.

Equally, it's dreadful that they're being housed like that, when most have genuinely escaped terrible threats and just want to get on with life, working and contributing.

This shambolic and so right wing government have let this situation arise, to fuel the hate that keeps getting them elected and because they know that if these asylum claims "pass" (which most will) their own voters will be furious.

TomorrowToday · 08/07/2023 15:34

PeskyPotato · 08/07/2023 15:27

I work in IA's where refugee men are housed. Many are near schools. On the whole I love the guys, and work hard to help them in many ways, but I wouldn't want my daughter walking alone past any of the hotels. It's just a lot of men, alone, bored, hanging around with no money and no where to go. Nothing against where they've come from, if they could work it would be so much better for them and our country rather than paying so much to house and feed them when all they want is to work and contribute. But there's a bad few in any group. 500 is a lot.

They want to work and contribute? Are you joking

Goldfoot · 08/07/2023 15:37

As for the claim that it's only the well off ones that come, that's probably true, but that's a good thing. They're people with education and the get up and go to have achieved getting here in the first place. Imagine what could be achieved if we had them in the workforce.

Areas with high (free) immigrant populations always have the strongest economies.

Goldfoot · 08/07/2023 15:39

TomorrowToday · 08/07/2023 15:34

They want to work and contribute? Are you joking

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You think they've really risked everything for £9 per day, living in squalor?

Of course they want to work, they want to build lives for themselves.

frustratednomad · 08/07/2023 15:41

500 strangers from different countries all forced to live together, maybe sharing 2/3 to a room what could possibly go wrong. Imagine someone fleeing the danger of being gay in their country living with others who believe gays should be killed but maybe they will put their beliefs aside and all turn out to be best mates.

3BSHKATS · 08/07/2023 15:41

I’m pretty sure they don’t want to contribute nobody does let’s be honest. However, they do want to work that’s not up for dispute. We have a lBuilder who seems to have unlimited access to labour locally. Where it comes from my do not know. But anyway they definitely do want to work.

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