{"id":120584,"date":"2023-10-25T15:19:44","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T15:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/?p=120584"},"modified":"2023-10-25T15:19:44","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T15:19:44","slug":"like-it-or-lump-it-migrants-benefit-threat-if-they-refuse-bibby-stockholm-bed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/politics\/like-it-or-lump-it-migrants-benefit-threat-if-they-refuse-bibby-stockholm-bed\/","title":{"rendered":"Like it or lump it! Migrants benefit threat if they refuse Bibby Stockholm bed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sally Nugent grills MP Robert Jenrick over Bibby Stockholm<\/h3>\n

Migrants are being told they have a week to accept a bed on the Bibby Stockholm or they will lose their benefits, Government documents have revealed.<\/p>\n

Home Office caseworkers were on Wednesday told they \u201cmust take steps\u201d to cancel the support asylum seekers receive if they do not board the vessel moored in Portland, Dorset.<\/p>\n

This will leave them without access to cash and free accommodation, Government guidance shows.<\/p>\n

And those refusing to leave their hotel accommodation will be treated as \u201ctrespassers\u201d.<\/p>\n

Some 50 Channel migrants are currently staying on the Bibby Stockholm, with more expected to arrive this week.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It comes as local councils fear there will be a surge in homeless migrants as the Government begins to cancel hotel contracts costing taxpayers \u00a38 million a day.<\/p>\n

The Local Government Association has warned local authorities may be forced to house migrants in the very hotels the Government has announced it is barring from being used for asylum seekers.<\/p>\n

Guidance sent to Home Office staff said: \u201cIf a supported person fails to take up the offer of accommodation on the vessel after the 5 working days, support will be discontinued, in line with a breach of conditions of support. The individual will no longer be able to access Home Office accommodation and will not be able to access subsistence (cash) support.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Home Office will take reasonable steps to notify them that their support has been discontinued.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis notification will explain that their actions have resulted in them being unable to access support.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere an individual fails to travel to their accommodation, caseworkers must take steps to discontinue the support.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Home Office source said: \u201cWe\u2019re getting migrants out of hotels and onto the barge which is perfectly suitable accommodation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they don\u2019t want to go on, then their support will be stopped – it\u2019s as simple as that. Like it or lump it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beds on the Bibby Stockholm will \u201cremain open\u201d for five days after the migrant has been ordered to leave a hotel room.<\/p>\n

They will need \u201cprofessional evidence of exceptional circumstances\u201d if they miss the deadline to appeal the decision.<\/p>\n

The first hotel contracts to be terminated will be four-star hotels which have include country homes and luxury flats.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Migrants will be moved to larger accommodation sites, including former RAF bases \u2013 RAF Wethersfield in Essex and RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire \u2013 and the Bibby Stockholm.<\/p>\n

Government sources said ministers have been able to begin cancelling hotel contracts because crossings are down by around 30 per cent.<\/p>\n

Some 26,553 asylum seekers have crossed the Channel so far this year, down from almost 38,000 this time last year.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n