“People think we live in heaven, that they are giving us everything – but this is not true. Believe me, it’s hard,” William*, who is afraid to share his real name or location, tells openDemocracy over the phone.
William is one of the approximately 120,000 asylum seekers in the UK awaiting a decision on their claim for refugee status. All are banned from working while their applications are processed and those housed in self-catered accommodation, like William, receive just £40.85 a week to live on – less than £6 a day.
This money is supposed to cover essentials such as food, clothing and toiletries, as well as travel, non-prescription medicine, communication and anything else they might need. But amid the soaring cost of living, which has seen food inflation reach its highest annual rate on record, many are struggling.
