Women for Refugee Women says asylum-seeker work ban has a profoundly negative impact, forcing women into exploitative and abusive situations
A new report from Women for Refugee Women (WRW) highlights the damaging impact on women of the UK policy that prevents asylum seekers from working, describing it as an "irrational, costly and harmful" policy.
You can download the 29-page report here.
WRW gathered data from 117 women with experience of the work ban for the report, with the research designed and carried out by a team of seven women with personal experience of the UK's asylum system and the work ban.
WRW said: "It is clear from our research that the work ban is depriving women of a chance to live dignified and respectful lives, particularly after the trauma they have been through as part of their journey to seeking safety. Our research into this policy has uncovered that the work ban has a profoundly negative impact on many different aspects of women's lives, forcing them into exploitative and abusive situations, ravaging their mental health and well-being, undermining their integration into their communities, and harming their ability to progress their asylum claims."
The report reveals that the work ban places women asylum seekers at heightened risk, leaving them unable to afford basic necessities and pushing some into exploitative or dangerous situations, such as sex work, illegal employment, or remaining in abusive or unwanted relationships.
WRW shares harrowing accounts from women who have been pushed into dangerous and exploitative situations as a direct result of being barred from working. Thirty-eight percent said they had entered or remained in unwanted or abusive relationships due to financial dependence. One woman explained: "It forced me into the situation of living with a man because of no choice. I suffered abuse in that relationship, because I didn't have anything with me."
Others reported turning to sex work to survive, with 8% saying they had done so after being unable to meet basic needs. WRW says this is undeniably one of the most damaging and dangerous consequences of the work ban on women. A woman spoken to by WRW said: "I became like a commercial sex worker, to have money. One time I was forced to have unwanted sex so that I would have a place to sleep."
WRW underscores that its findings reveal the extreme desperation and deprivation faced by women in the asylum system, which should alarm anyone committed to ending violence against women and girls.
Women's mental health also suffers, with 85% of those spoken to by WRW saying the work ban made them anxious or depressed, and 78% saying it made them feel hopeless. Only 4% said the ban did not negatively impact their mental health. In addition, 78% of respondents said the work ban made them feel helpless, a burden, and not valued by the UK society, while 71% said it made them feel less human.
The overwhelming desire to work is evident, with 98% of women expressing their desire to be productive and contribute to society. WRW emphasised that lifting the work ban would not only benefit the women but also the country, as asylum seekers would be able to pay taxes and contribute to the economy.
WRW says giving people seeking asylum the right to work is common sense. The report states: "It would save taxpayers' money through reduced costs for asylum support and increased tax revenues and would enable newly-recognised refugees to enter work promptly rather than relying on state support. Crucially, it would enable people in the asylum system to live in dignity, put their skills and experiences to good use and meaningfully contribute to society while rebuilding their lives in the UK."
The organisation recommends granting the right to work to all asylum seekers and their adult dependants after six months of waiting for an initial decision or a response to a fresh claim — without restricting access through the Immigration Salary List. Beyond lifting the work ban, WRW calls for broader reforms to the asylum system to better protect women, especially survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. These include improving access to mental health support for both people seeking asylum and those granted refugee status, and ensuring that women in the asylum system are explicitly included in the Government's strategy to tackle violence against women and girls. This would involve joint needs assessments with the NHS and civil society groups to inform a tailored care system, backed by sustained funding. WRW warns that without these changes, the UK risks perpetuating a two-tier approach to violence against women — one that neglects survivors who are seeking asylum.
Andrea Vukovic, Co-Director of Women for Refugee Women, commented: "I don't see how the Government can deliver a strategy on tackling violence against women and girls in good faith without considering the experiences of women in the asylum system. I hope our report acts a wake-up call for decision-makers to re-examine the needs of women seeking safety and ensure they are included in their plans."