The Covid-19 crisis is piling layers of anxiety on UK citizens. Huge swathes of people fear for their jobs and businesses. World famous brands that once seemed invincible are sailing close to the winds of bankruptcy. What, then, must life be like for those living in the UK under the strain of an extra, very real blanket of fear?
The UK government has, for several years now, gone out of its way to create a hostile environment for undocumented migrants. Its message to them has been a simple one: You’re not welcome here. The government has been urging those without the correct documentation to leave, even paying for ‘Go Home’ advertisements to be placed on the sides of vans to drive home the unforgiving message.
This kind of policy plays right into the hands of those looking for someone, other than the government, to blame for cuts in public services and to the NHS.
As a consequence of the government’s brutal policies, the reality is that undocumented migrants who face the risk of developing symptoms of Covid-19 just like the rest of the population are less likely to access healthcare due to fear and mistrust in UK authorities.
That’s exactly the situation a Filipino man known only as Elvis found himself in. He died in April while self-isolating at home. Despite having called the UK his home for ten years, he did not seek healthcare assistance because he feared he would be charged thousands of pounds for treatment and face possible immigration enforcement if he did try to access such services. Like Elvis, others with insecure immigration status are facing similar struggles as self-isolation is not always an option; many have no choice but to live in cramped, overcrowded accommodation.
Avoiding health services due to a fear of deportation is a well-known fear amongst undocumented migrants. It has been exacerbated by the sharing of confidential data between the NHS and the Home Office, a policy implemented in the wake of the hostile environment. Human Rights groups claim this data sharing is continuing right now, despite recent government advice to NHS Trusts that there should be no immigration checks for overseas visitors undergoing treatment for COVID-19.
And it’s not just those who require the services of the NHS who are suffering. Frontline NHS workers themselves whose visas are due to expire between now and October face more uncertainty. Although the Home Office has agreed to some automatic visa extensions, their plans only appear to cover holders of Tier 2 Visas and not those working on family reunion visas, for example. Nor do they apply to hospital porters, healthcare assistants or cleaners.
What’s more, experts are concerned that the legalities of the government’s plans may not be watertight and could lead to complications for those involved further down the line. There are also claims the plans have been poorly communicated.
Job losses are complicating matters further. For those residing in the UK under a Spouse Visa, losing their job may make it impossible to meet the minimum income requirement. The adverse economic consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic could threaten thousands of applicants who are seeking a Spouse Visa extension or who are switching onto Indefinite Leave to Remain, since meeting the minimum income requirement is essential in order to qualify for these immigration routes.
The migrants hit the hardest by the pandemic, however, are those with insecure status. There are well over half a million undocumented people living in the UK. Almost a quarter are children. Their parents will not be able to access benefits such as Universal Credit as a result of the No Recourse to Public Funds condition – which at a time such as this, with the need for sufficient funds more important than ever in order to be able to self-isolate when necessary, is a death knell.
London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the Prime Minister to suspend the conditions required to receive benefits. This, he says, will protect both migrants and the wider public since many are currently in a position whereby they have no choice but to ignore social distancing rules aimed at slowing the spread of the Coronavirus, as they must continue to work to survive.
There is a further risk that when people are left destitute and unable to afford to cover their housing costs they may become homeless. This again will see vulnerable individuals unable to comply with the public health measures that have been imposed by the government.
Despite such critical need for robust support for migrants throughout the current crisis, the Home Office shows little sign of relaxing the hostile environment it has created. There are plenty of examples of heavy-handed treatment across the board. Some have been ordered to leave the country within days or face deportation regardless of the current circumstances. Cases include an elderly woman with lung cancer who was told she must return to Ukraine despite the government’s own advice against all travel during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
All this is in stark contrast to other countries such as Ireland where adequate protection for migrants has been prioritised, allowing all to access healthcare without fear. Portugal, too, is taking a more compassionate approach by treating migrants as residents during these difficult times. In the UK, however, undocumented migrants could well be forgiven for believing that surviving the Coronavirus pandemic is a luxury only available to British born citizens.
Peter Markham is a content writer for the Immigration Advice Service; an organisation of immigration lawyers based in all four corners of the UK. https://iasservices.org.uk/
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