Increasing number of asylum seekers being granted work permits due to backlogs

Published

2 years ago

November 14, 2023

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An increasing number of migrants who may be in the country illegally are getting the right to work in the UK, Sky News can reveal.

Asylum seekers living in migrant hotels are being granted work permits before a decision is reached on their asylum claims, due to the length of time they have been waiting.

The Home Office backlog in processing claims means almost 100,000 people had been waiting more than a year for an initial decision on their asylum claim at the end of June this year – an almost 80% increase from this time last year, according to the latest data.

Under UK immigration rules, anyone who has been waiting more than 12 months through no fault of their own can receive a work permit and apply for any job on the country’s shortage occupation list.

Hussein, 34, who lives in a hotel in Staffordshire, is now working full-time for a charity after his work permit was granted in October this year.

He is still waiting for a decision on his asylum status, having arrived in the UK on a small boat at the beginning of July 2022.

He told Sky News he fled Iraq because he was concerned that previous work he’d done for Western armies was putting him and his family in danger.

On his phone are pictures of his young daughter back home, who he wants to help financially once he’s earning a regular salary.

He said the £9-a-week given to asylum seekers by the government simply isn’t enough to live on.

“We are getting very, very little money as financial support,” he said.

Although he has his meals paid for by the taxpayer and served in his hotel, he insists it is not enough.

“In the end as a human being, as a person…life is not only sleeping and eating – you might need clothes, you might need shoes, you might need maybe if you have some habits like smoking or anything, so all of this needs money.”

He is certain that the other men living with him are given hope by watching him find full-time employment.

“Everybody who is seeing me in the hotel, they are also excited because of my job.”

“They are seeing what I’m doing and they want to be the same way,” he added.

Dozens of other migrants at his hotel arrived on the same route as Hussein – on small boats across the Channel.

They, too, are now reaching the threshold for finding paid work.

‘I didn’t choose to come and stay in [a] hotel’

Khalid, 30, from Syria, has been waiting for a decision on his asylum claim for 14 months.

“Many guys here they feel like in prison,” he said.

His work permit has just arrived. He said he will do any job, and doesn’t want to remain living at the expense of the taxpayer.

In broken English he told us: “This is the wrong from the government, not from me. I didn’t choose to come and stay in [a] hotel.

“I start work, I will not stay in the hotel, I can buy, rent or do something, from my business, from my job.”

But not all asylum seekers who are eligible want to get to work before they know what their future holds.

Khater, 30, from Sudan, said that without the Home Office declaring his asylum claim valid he will not attempt to find work.

He said he also wants to study more: “I want to improve my language first and speak fluently, and then I’m going to get a job.”

Another asylum seeker from Sudan – Elamin, 30 – admited the reason he came to the UK is to earn money.

“I want to be independent more – to help my family [in Sudan].”

According to figures seen by Sky News, around 91,000 people were waiting more than a year for a decision on their asylum claims by the end of June 2023.

That figure makes up more than half (52%) of the entire backlog of asylum claims at the Home Office.

‘I can understand why the public would be outraged’

In November 2022, 51,189 asylum seekers had been waiting more than a year for an initial decision on their claim according to figures released to the Refugee Council following a Freedom of Information request, meaning the backlog is growing at an alarming rate for some immigration solicitors.

Monira Hussain, an immigration lawyer in Oldham, said that enquiries from asylum seekers requesting help with their applications for work permits are now a daily occurrence.

She told Sky News she does not know why decisions have slowed: “I can understand why the public would be outraged.”

“Ultimately what I would like to see the immigration system doing is processing their applications quicker, then we wouldn’t have this situation”, she added.

Some believe the rules need to be changed now the backlog of claims is so large.

Karl Williams, Deputy Research Director at the Centre for Policy Studies, said knowing they can get the right to work simply by waiting long enough makes Britain more attractive to migrants.

“There was perhaps a case for it when there were far fewer people in the asylum system. But at the moment it’s clearly acting as a massive pull factor for people coming here.”

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He believes for the British public, the fact that asylum seekers are working legitimately “will just enhance that fundamental sense that this is unfair”.

“These people are coming here illegally, they’re jumping the queue ahead of people who are using proper systems, and they are taking advantage of the taxpayer and the kindness and generosity of the public.”

The Home Office told Sky News: “The pressure on the asylum system has continued to grow, which is why we have taken immediate action to speed up application processing times and cut costs for taxpayers.

“Between the end of November 2022 and August 2023, the backlog of legacy cases has fallen by over 35,000.”

The government insists asylum seekers do not need to make perilous journeys in order to seek employment in the UK – and admits that Britain’s wider immigration policy could be undermined if migrants bypassed work visa rules by lodging unfounded asylum claims here.

Despite more and more asylum seekers legitimately making a living, it is still unlikely their uncertain status would satisfy the requirements for moving out of their hotel accommodation.

Whether the public likes it or not, a growing number of asylum seekers are now legally part of Britain’s workforce – but with no guarantee they will be allowed to continue their life here.

Additional reporting by Nick Stylianou.

UK

Two men arrested and a number taken to hospital after multiple people stabbed on train

Published

8 hours ago

November 2, 2025

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Two men arrested and a number taken to hospital after multiple people stabbed on train

Two men have been arrested by armed officers after multiple people were stabbed on a train.

The train was stopped at Huntingdon station, in Cambridgeshire, after police were called at around 7.40pm on Saturday.

Cambridgeshire Police said a number of people have been taken to hospital, while a “large-scale response” was deployed by the East of England Ambulance Service.

Video shared online which appears to have been filmed from a railway bridge shows a huge police response with armed officers running along the platform towards the train carriages.

Witnesses told Sky News the stabbings started around 10 minutes after the 6.25 train from Doncaster to London King’s Cross left Peterborough and passengers sounded the emergency alarm.

One man who was on the train told Sky News he saw someone coming though his carriage saying: “They’ve got a knife, I’ve been stabbed.”

“They were making their way through the carriage to get away from the suspects. They were extremely bloodied,” said the man who gave his name as Gavin.

He said by the time the train pulled up “they were basically on the floor”.

“That person ended up collapsing on the floor. They were taken to an ambulance pretty much straight away,” he said.

Gavin said passengers were ushered out into the station and “there were multiple people who had been stabbed making their way down”.

But he said one of the suspects had also come off the train and was “running rampant as well”, and was “waving a large knife” before he was taken down by armed officers with a taser.

London North Eastern Railway, which operates East Coast Mainline services in the UK, said all lines are blocked around Huntingdon station, with major disruption expected until the end of the day.

Police said the A1307 has been closed on the approach to the town centre and the incident remains ongoing.

Cambridgeshire Police said in a statement: “We were called at 7.39pm with reports that multiple people had been stabbed on a train.

“Armed officers attended and the train was stopped at Huntingdon, where two men were arrested.

“A number of people have been taken to hospital.

“The incident remains ongoing and the A1307 has been closed as you approach the town centre.”

Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty said in a post on X he was “aware of the incident” and “trying to establish further information”.

“My thoughts are with the victims and those involved,” he wrote.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the “appalling incident” was “deeply concerning”.

“My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response,” he wrote on X.

“Anyone in the area should follow the advice of the police.”

The Home Secretary said she was “deeply saddened” by the incident in Huntingdon and urged the public to “avoid comment and speculation at this early stage”.

In a statement on X, Shabana Mahmood said: “Two suspects have been immediately arrested and taken into custody.

“I am receiving regular updates on the investigation.”

Speaking to Sky News at the scene, Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty said: “When I first arrived here, I’ve simply never seen as big a response to an emergency incident as there were in terms of police, fire and ambulance.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said on X: “Horrific scenes in Huntingdon, in what seems to be a brutal mass attack by two perpetrators.

“My thoughts are with all those injured or affected and the emergency services responding The police and government should provide an update on what happened and who has been arrested as soon as possible

Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake also described the scenes as “horrifying”.

“My thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services responding to this incident,” he wrote on X.

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UK

Car spotted leaving Royal Lodge as Andrew faces growing pressure over Epstein links

Published

17 hours ago

November 1, 2025

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Car spotted leaving Royal Lodge as Andrew faces growing pressure over Epstein links

A Land Rover was spotted leaving Royal Lodge – the home of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – on Saturday morning, as more US politicians call for him to testify before a congressional committee.

Emails released on Friday in unsealed court documents shed new light on Andrew’s correspondence with Epstein.

Months after the paedophile financier was released from prison in 2009 for prostituting minors, Andrew wrote that it would be “good to catch up in person”.

The pair were pictured together in New York’s Central Park in December 2010, in a meeting Andrew later claimed was to end their friendship.

In Congress, the House Oversight Committee is investigating the Epstein affair, and several of its members have invited Andrew to come and give evidence, presenting it as an opportunity to clear his name.

Meanwhile, Virginia Giuffre’s family have called for Andrew to be “investigated” over her claims that – as a teenager – she had sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell.

Andrew has always denied the claims. Ms Giuffre sued in 2021 and the case was settled outside of court for a sum believed to have been around £12m.

In an interview with Gareth Barlow on Sky News, Ms Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts praised the King for stripping his brother of his remaining titles and ousting him from Royal Lodge.

Andrew set for six-figure sum

Andrew could be in line for a six-figure payout and an annual payment as part of his “relocation settlement” after being forced out of the Royal Lodge, the Guardian reported.

One option includes an initial six-figure sum followed by an annual payment, which would be paid from the King’s private funds, and is thought to be several times his £20k-a-year navy pension, sources told the newspaper.

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He will move from Windsor to private accommodation in Sandringham, Norfolk. But on Saturday, people in Sandringham had mixed views about the move.

One man told Sky News he would be unwelcome: “This is a lovely, peaceful area. His reputation now is tarnished, and, I don’t think it’s right.

“This is where the royals come for Christmas… and come throughout the year. And, I don’t think people local really want to see him here.”

But another man was more sympathetic: “He hasn’t been found guilty of anything in my view. So and people forget that he was a war hero in the Falklands. That’s all gone now, isn’t it? Nobody’s thinking that he’s done any good.”

Public supports Charles, poll shows

A poll has revealed the public supports the King’s decision to strip Andrew of his titles and remove him from the Royal Lodge.

Of the 4,739 people surveyed by YouGov, 79% said it was “the right decision” to “strip Andrew Mountbatten Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) of his prince title”.

But when asked about the speed of King’s response to the Andrew-Epstein revelations, 58% of respondents said the monarch moved “too slowly”.

Police provide update

The Metropolitan Police has given Sky News an update on allegations that Andrew asked a royal close protection officer to “dig up dirt” on Virginia Giuffre in 2011.

When reports first emerged two weeks ago, the force said it was “actively looking into the claims”.

On Saturday, the Met said: “Following recent media reporting on the actions of officers in relation to this matter, we are considering whether any further assessment or review is necessary.”

Meanwhile, the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), issued a statement regarding allegations that Andrew’s royal close protection officers had obstructed lawyers serving a lawsuit from Virginia Giuffre in 2021.

The IOPC said: “We have not received any referrals in relation to this matter at this time.”

Graham Smith, from the anti-monarchy group Republic, told Sky News: “The problem that the royals have is that there’s going to be more information coming out, more scandals, more accusations and more emails.

“The idea that essentially… he’s [Andrew] told to live in a very large house, given a half million pound stipend, and told to use his own name, is any kind of punishment, is absurd in most people’s eyes.”

In the next few days, the King is expected to submit the royal warrant, affecting the dukedom, and letters patent, which will formally remove Andrew’s entitlement to use the title prince and HRH style.

UK

Should Prince Andrew Drive be renamed? Here’s what residents think

Published

1 day ago

November 1, 2025

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Should Prince Andrew Drive be renamed? Here's what residents think

“I hate it,” Shirley told us.

Every time she has to give her address, it leads to a snide remark or joke at her expense.

She’s lived on Prince Andrew Drive in Telford, Shropshire, for 35 years.

As the national scandal around Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – as he is now called – has deepened, it has become increasingly embarrassing for her.

Andrew latest: Virginia Giuffre’s brother calls for investigation

A few years ago, another resident started a petition to change the name of the road, and somebody covered up part of the street sign.

“I think we should change it,” Shirley told us, “but don’t ask me what to.”

After a few minutes weighing up the options, she settled on Prince George Drive.

“At least that looks to the future,” she added.

Linda Boden has lived on the road even longer – she and husband Phil moved here after getting married 45 years ago.

“We have actually had the conversation this morning, that the name of this road will get changed,” Linda said.

Phil told us he wasn’t bothered about the name. “It’s just a name, it’s not the man… I can’t tell you what I think [about him] without swearing you know.”

Cheryl, who lives nearby, told us what really mattered to her were the victims of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal – particularly the late Virginia Giuffre.

“That poor girl needs justice,” she said. “It is ridiculous it has gone on this long to be perfectly honest. That poor family are still living with it.”

Julie Harper lives on the adjacent road, called Queen Elizabeth Way, and is more than happy with her road name.

She told Sky News that the King had made the “best decision ever” by removing his brother’s titles.

I asked where her sympathies lay within this long-running royal scandal and Julie was unequivocal.

“With anybody who has been sexually exploited,” she said bluntly.

Julie believes Princess Anne Drive would be a better name for her neighbours’ road.

“She’s one of the better ones,” she added.

Changing the road name would be a logistical headache for local authorities and residents, with some telling us it did not bother them and they would not fancy the extra paperwork to amend things such as household bills and driving licences.

But Postman Gary told us every time he’s making deliveries on Prince Andrew Drive, he feels for the residents.

“We have a little giggle because we know they don’t want it named that anymore and I wouldn’t either if I lived here. It’s probably time it changed.”

We did not find anyone on Prince Andrew Drive who disagreed with the King’s decision to remove his titles and oust him from his home in Windsor.

The monarchy needs to retain the support of the public across the UK – that’s one of the reasons the King has taken such decisive action at this point in the scandal.