Nottingham asylum seeker charity collapse will drive 'homelessness and exploitation'

The closure of a Nottingham charity which supports asylum seekers in the city will leave many homeless and vulnerable to exploitation, its head has said. Nottingham Arimathea Trust (NAT), which provides accommodation and support services, announced on Thursday (October 24) it would be closed by the end of the year.

The charity, which has supported more than 1,000 refugees and destitute asylum seekers since 2007, said it was "becoming increasingly difficult to attract funders". Andrew Wilson, chair of trustees, described the situation as "disastrous".

“We can’t raise enough money to keep going. It’s much more difficult now than a year ago, never mind three years ago," he said.

“The last thing we want to do is stop work before the work is finished." NAT supports many asylum seekers who have had claims refused by the government, offering them accommodation and other support while their case is reassessed by the Home Office.

Between 77 and 80 per cent of the individuals, most of which come on small boats and are from the likes of Afghanistan, Iran and Sudan, go on to have their claims accepted, Mr Wilson said. "The backlog for decisions has been getting longer and longer meaning more people are destitute. It’s devastating.

“In the time between they have no support whatsoever of any kind. Many are street homeless or sofa surfing and open to exploitation.

“Nobody leaves their home until they have to. We know people who have had the most awful experiences, some of them have horrific stories to tell."

NAT is currently supporting 35 people, all of whom Mr Wilson is "fairly confident" will be safe from becoming homeless. However, he is extremely worried impact on people who will need the service in the future.

"What happens to people we would have supported? I’m afraid I just don’t know," he said. “Once we have gone it looks like that support will cease.

"We have to hope that somebody will do it but I don’t know what’s going to happen.” One of the service's users, a 31-year-old man originally from Morocco, said the charity had changed his life.

“I was homeless during Covid time. We fell between the cracks and the food banks were closing," said the man, who wished to remain anonymous. “I had never taken drugs before in my entire life but when I was homeless I took all sorts of drugs, it was the worst time of my life.

"At first I slept behind industrial bins in Forest Fields, but I started to hang around with other homeless people and before I knew it was walking round town dirty and without showering."

Thanks to NAT, and the recent awarding of a work visa, he is now searching for a job. “There’s not many charities helping asylum seekers like us. I was put in touch with [NAT] and have had a room ever since. It changed my life," he said.

“There will be hundreds of people homeless by January. What about people with children? It’s going to be hard, without them I wouldn’t have anything.

"People that staff charities are some of the best people on God’s earth and they’re going to lose their jobs. I don’t think it’s fair.”