Seeking Asylum Isn’t a Crime: Debunking the Dangerous Narratives

In recent weeks, asylum seekers have dominated headlines across the media, fueling a surge of public fear and anger. This unrest has been amplified by political figures such as Nigel Farage, who has pledged mass deportations if Reform gains power (BBC, 2025) and exploited by far-right groups who have staged protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, posing asylum seekers as criminals and a threat to women and girls (The Guardian, 2025a).

Alongside this, there has been a viral movement to attach England flags and Union Jacks to street furniture, ostensibly as a way of celebrating national pride but intrinsically linked to the anti-asylum rhetoric which is sweeping the nation and used by some to create an intimidating environment for immigrants (Reuters, 2025).

Are We Banned from Flying England Flags?

No, there has never been a ban on flying the Union Jack or the St George’s Cross. With the Women’s Rugby World Cup in full swing and the Red Roses flying high, it’s uplifting to see flags raised in support. During events such as the Jubilee, VE Day, and the Olympics, flags are a familiar sight across the country, marking celebration and commemoration.

But it’s worth asking: what’s driving the current push to mount flags on lampposts or paint them on roundabouts? Is it a celebration of our diverse nation — or a reaction driven by anger against a perceived enemy?

A glance at social media suggests the latter. Some posts reflect fears that local identity is being eroded, that English people are becoming a minority, and that asylum seekers are overwhelming the country and contributing to crime—particularly posing risks to women and girls.

So, what is the truth about asylum? Are people right to be angry and afraid?

What does the Term ‘Asylum Seeker’ Mean?

Asylum means ‘a safe place’ and seeker means ‘looking for’. People seeking asylum are literally looking for a safe place.

Asylum seekers are people fleeing war, violence, or persecution, looking for safety beyond their home countries. When someone is forced to leave and cannot return, they are considered a refugee.

Under the 1951 Refugee Convention, anyone has the right to apply for asylum in a signatory country and remain there while their claim is assessed. An asylum seeker is a refugee whose application for protection is still under review (The Refugee Council, 2025).

Crucially, seeking asylum is a legal right. There is no such thing as an illegal asylum seeker (UNHCR, 2025)

Why are People Entering by Small Boats, and not Coming Legally?

People are arriving by small boats, making the perilous journey in unsafe, overcrowded crafts because there are no safe routes to claim asylum in the UK (IRC, 2025).

More than 95% of people who have arrived in the UK by boat since 2018 claimed asylum, and most have had their asylum claims granted (Migration Observatory, 2025).

Why don’t People Seeking Asylum stay in France?

Most refugees who arrive in France do stay there. However, some refugees may look to come to the UK as they have family members already here; they speak English rather than French; there are other people who share their culture; or because they find the living conditions in French refugee camps or informal settlements unbearable. There is no legal requirement for someone to claim asylum in the first safe country they arrive in (Refugee Action, 2025).

Are we being ‘flooded’ by Asylum Seekers?

No! The UK is home to approximately 1% of the world’s refugees, who make up only 0.6% of the UK population (IRC, 2024).

A huge 85% of refugees live in developing countries, with 73% staying in countries neighbouring their country of origin (Refugee Action, 2025).

Across Europe, many countries take more refugees than the UK including France, Spain, Greece and Italy (Eurostat, 2025).

Why are Asylum Seekers Being put up in Hotels?

People seeking asylum have no choice as to where they live. The hotels used to accommodate people seeking asylum are budget hotels or repurposed buildings. The rooms are small, usually shared, with no kitchens and little privacy. These hotels are contracted directly by the Home Office, they are hotels with available space, which are not in demand by paying customers (Liverpool City Council, 2025).

The vast majority of people claiming asylum want to work. However, people seeking asylum are not allowed to work or claim benefits. It is estimated that the UK could make £333 million a year if this ban was lifted (Migration Observatory, 2025).

Asylum seekers in hotel accommodation receive only £9.95 a week, that’s about £1.42 a day, to cover essentials such as toiletries (IRC, 2025).

The UK spends just 0.1% of its annual budget on refugees (UK Parliament, 2025).

Are Asylum Seekers More Likely to Commit Crime?

Fears linking asylum seekers to sexual violence often exploit anxieties about cultural difference, suggesting—without evidence—that people from other nations are less moral or socially developed than British citizens. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, for example, claimed that asylum seekers with “medieval attitudes” pose a threat to his daughters’ safety (The Guardian, 2025b).

Yet there is no credible evidence that asylum seekers are more likely to commit crimes than the general UK population. Reliable data is scarce, but a 2013 study found no link between immigration and violent crime rates. More recently, Full Fact reviewed political claims connecting small boat arrivals to violent crime and found them based on outdated and unreliable statistics (Full Fact, 2025).

Refugee Contributions

Once an asylum seeker has been granted refugee status, they are not fast-tracked into social housing, or given special treatment, but they are then free to work and start rebuilding their lives in the UK.

Skilled refugees often possess vital expertise that helps businesses meet their staffing needs, addressing skill shortages across various sectors (The Home Office, 2023). About 1,200 medically qualified refugees are recorded on the British Medical Association’s database (The Refugee Council, 2025).

Beyond the workplace, refugees enrich British society through food, sport, music, and vibrant community life, strengthening the cultural fabric of the nation.

In Summary

People seeking asylum are among the most vulnerable in our society. They’ve fled unimaginable horrors; circumstances most of us will hopefully never have to face. They have no right to vote, no permission to work, no say in where they live, and survive on the most meagre of allowances.

Imagine believing that you’ve finally found safety, only to be met with hostility, with protesters outside your door, hurling accusations and hatred, making it clear you’re unwelcome.

Blaming desperate people won’t fix our problems. Deporting those seeking refuge won’t improve our NHS, our schools, or our standard of living.

Real strength lies in unity. We build better communities by supporting one another; clearing our streets, helping our neighbours, and demanding better services.

When headlines stir anger and fear, we must ask: who benefits from this narrative? Before picking up the spray can, stop and reflect—because persecuting our neighbours only deepens the divide.

References

BBC (2025) Reform prepared to deport 600,000 under migration plans

Demony, C and Yalahuzian, V (2025) England flags spark pride and concern amid anti-immigration protests. Reuters

Edwicker, J. (2025) FAQ: What is the truth about refugees? Best for Britain

Eurostat (2025) Asylum applications – annual statistics

FullFact (2025) Are ‘Channel migrants’ 24 times more likely to go to prison than British citizens?

IRC (2024) Why don’t refugees stay in the first country they reach?

IRC (2025) Refugee facts and statistics

Liverpool City Council (2025) The Truth About Immigration, Refugees and People Seeking Asylum

Refugee Action (2025) Facts about Refugees

The Guardian (2025a) Members of far-right party organising asylum hotel protests across UK, Facebook posts show

The Guardian (2025b) Tory MPs contact Badenoch to raise concerns about Jenrick’s comments

The Home Office (2023) Skilled refugees contributing £1m to UK economy each year

The Migration Observatory (2025) Asylum and refugee resettlement in the UK

The Refugee Council (2025) The Truth about Asylum

UK Parliament (2025) The UK aid budget and support for refugees in the UK, 2022 to 2024

UNHCR (2025) Asylum in the UK