Thousands of female asylum seekers in the UK are being pushed into dangerous and exploitative situations due to a strict work ban imposed by the government.
A new report by the charity Women for Refugee Women has revealed that 10% of women interviewed have resorted to sex work to survive, often in order to feed their children or secure a place to sleep.
The study, which focused on the impact of the employment ban on women, found that nearly 40% of participants had been trapped in abusive relationships or exploitative environments.
Around half were unable to afford basic sanitary products, while over 80% could not cover essential needs such as clothing, public transport or phone credit.
This report, titled Safety and Survival: How the Work Ban Fuels Violence Against Women Seeking Asylum, marks the first investigation into how the UK’s employment restrictions specifically affect women seeking asylum.
Women account for approximately one-fifth of adult asylum seekers in the country, and the majority have already endured rape or gender-based violence before arriving in the UK.
The UK’s current policy prohibits asylum seekers from working while their claims are processed, even if this takes longer than six months.
The government has maintained that allowing work could act as a pull factor, despite growing evidence of the policy’s harmful consequences.
Most of the women surveyed expressed a strong desire to work and support themselves. Instead, they are forced to live on weekly asylum support payments of just £49.18 in shared housing or £8.86 for those staying in hotels, making self-sufficiency virtually impossible.
Personal accounts gathered by the charity highlight the severity of the situation. Some women reported exchanging sex for shelter or survival. Others described being exploited in illegal jobs with unlivable wages. Many said they felt like slaves, trapped by both poverty and fear of deportation.
The research team, composed of women with lived experience in the asylum system, noted a high prevalence of mental health issues among participants.
Over 85% felt anxious or depressed, and 43% reported suicidal thoughts as a result of the poverty and isolation caused by the work ban.
The report urges the Labour government to lift the work ban for asylum seekers who have been waiting six months or more for a decision.
The charity argues that giving people the right to work would reduce exploitation and allow women to live with dignity and independence.
Despite these findings, the Home Office has stated that there are no plans to change the current policy.
Officials claim the asylum system is designed to be fair and sustainable, with support offered to prevent destitution. However, campaigners and experts insist that the system is failing women, especially those fleeing conflict and violence.
Without meaningful reform, female asylum seekers in the UK will continue to face a dangerous choice between poverty and exploitation.
