The truth about immigration and asylum seekers.
St Helens is a borough with a proud tradition of community spirit and compassion. It is a borough with a long track record of protecting and standing up for those in need.
We know many people are concerned about the use of hotels to accommodate people seeking asylum. It is something that successive governments have said is temporary and have sought to reduce reliance on them.
And while of course we must defend the right to peaceful protest and meaningful discussion, we must not allow false statements and stories to circulate, whether that's online or in person, as this can fuel hatred, spread fear and seek to divide us.
We know that myths and false stories can quickly take hold but by sharing the facts we can all help to create a borough where everyone feels safe, respected and supported.
It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that what they are sharing is fact and that they are not subconsciously circulating false information further. It is also our responsibility to challenge misinformation about immigration and asylum seekers with the facts. By understanding the realities of the situation and rejecting false claims, we can have a more informed discussion on immigration, without hate, bigotry or the spreading of fear.
Come on St Helens - we are better than this. St Helens is, and must continue to be, a borough of hope - not hate.
There's a lot of misinformation about immigration and asylum seekers currently being circulated, so it's important that we put out the facts and set the record straight.
Here are just some of the false narratives that are being expressed, together with the actual situation.
CLAIM: The OYO Hotel is being used to accommodate people seeking asylum.
THE TRUTH: Yes, The OYO Lakeside Hotel in St Helens is accommodating families and single females who are seeking asylum . These vulnerable women and children are seeking refuge due to discrimination, war, torture or persecution in their own countries. There are no single men being housed in this hotel and there are currently no plans to change this arrangement. 41% of displaced people in the world are children.
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CLAIM: There are hundreds of asylum seekers living in the OYO Hotel.
THE TRUTH: All residents in the OYO hotel are all families and vulnerable single females only. This temporary accommodation is arranged and managed by the Home Office and its contracted providers, SERCO. Local councils, including St Helens Borough Council, do not have a say in where individuals are placed. At present, the OYO Lakeside Hotel is the only hotel in St Helens Borough being used to accommodate asylum seekers. it has a maximum accommodation level that is no more than 100 residents.
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CLAIM: They are building a new hotel in St Helens town centre to put asylum seekers in it.
THE TRUTH: A new Hilton by Hampton Hotel is being built as part of the regeneration of St Helens town centre. St Helens already attracts increasing numbers of visitors for family or business reasons. We have seen an increase in demand from business travellers because of developments such as Glass Futures, SINA medical glass and the major employers in the area, coupled with the success of its sporting and leisure attractions. The hotel in St Helens town centre is being built to accommodate these visitors and will not be used as accommodation for asylum seekers.
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CLAIM: They don't want to work; they are not giving anything back to the community
THE TRUTH: Government rules state that those seeking asylum cannot work while they wait for a decision on their asylum claim. This is government policy and not a personal choice. Once they have their asylum application determined and if they are given refugee status then they have a legal right to live and work here. Refugees work in various private and public sector organisations, many directly involved in working for public services that directly benefit local communities, with many more giving their time and experience in volunteering to help local people and those in need.
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CLAIM: They get £70 a day spending money and given free mobile phones.
THE TRUTH: Asylum seekers in hotel accommodation receive £9.95 a week - around £1.42 a day to cover essentials like toiletries. Those in temporary accommodation receive £49.18 a week to cover food, clothing and toiletries. They do not receive mobile phones. Some charities offer basic support to help them to keep in connected with loved ones, but this is not paid for using public money.
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CLAIM: Asylum seekers get treated better than our own homeless or veterans.
THE TRUTH: The Government has a legal obligation to accommodate asylum seekers while their application is reviewed. Local Authorities have a legal duty to assist all people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Homelessness is a very important and urgent issue, but it is a separate from asylum. The council has a signed Armed Forces Covenant - a national pledge that ensures members of the Armed Forces community are not disadvantaged when accessing services such as housing, health services, employment opportunities and education.
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CLAIM: Asylum seekers are committing crimes in our communities.
THE TRUTH: The vast majority of asylum seekers are law-abiding and are much more likely to be the victims of crime rather than committing it. There is no evidence to support a statistical increase in crime committed by asylum seekers in Merseyside. Reports of increased crime are often fuelled by misinformation, which can create a false narrative of increased criminality and contribute to negative public sentiment and even violence against asylum seekers.
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CLAIM: People are being evicted from their homes so landlords can rent to Serco for asylum seekers.
THE TRUTH: Serco, the Home Office's accommodation provider has confirmed that it does not evict existing tenants to make way for asylum accommodation. The number of people seeking asylum in St Helens has remained stable for some time and there are already established processes in place to accommodation asylum seekers and the homeless separately.
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CLAIM: They get free homes given to them from the council.
THE TRUTH: People seeking asylum are placed in temporary accommodation by the Home Office while their claim is being assessed. This may be a hotel or shared accommodation. The council does not choose who comes to St Helens or where they stay. Once granted refugee status, individuals can seek their own accommodation this may include applying for social housing or renting privately, the same as any other eligible resident.
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The below definitions may help: