Reality of life in the UK
What life is really like for illegal migrants.
Criminal gangs tell lies about how easy it is to get to the UK and how life will be better. The reality is, entering the UK illegally is never worth the risk because life isn’t better – it’s hard and often dangerous.
If you come to the UK illegally:
- you cannot rent property – it’s a criminal offence for landlords and agents to knowingly let property to an illegal migrant
- you cannot access welfare benefits
- you may be charged if you need hospital treatment or health care in the UK
- if you have outstanding payments for medical treatment, any further immigration applications may be refused
- your access to other services, like bank accounts and driving licences, is restricted
Those who claim asylum in the UK are not normally allowed to work whilst their claim is being considered. If you work in the UK illegally:
- the likelihood of you doing hard labour for a criminal gang for very little money is high
- you may be exploited – some examples of exploitation are forced labour, or debt bondage
- you can be imprisoned for up to 6 months because it’s a criminal offence to work in the UK illegally
- your wages can be seized if you work illegally
If your asylum claim is outstanding after 12 months through no fault of your own, you may be granted permission to work. Any permission to work will come to an end if your claim is refused. If you are granted permission to work, you can only do the jobs on the Shortage Occupation List.
No matter how long you stay in the UK, you can never become a legal citizen. You can’t work legally and you can’t study.
Real stories
I was told by everyone that living in the UK would be a dream. Living and working in the UK has not matched up at all with my expectations.
First hand account – identity protected.
The UK authorities are cracking down on illegal migration, catching and detaining more people than ever before. Hear people share their experiences of life in the UK as an illegal migrant.
I think that if people were able to see twelve months into the future of what it would be once they made that journey across, I’m almost certain that people would choose not to.
Kendal, Immigration Enforcement Officer
Hear officials share their experience of how illegal migrants are treated by the criminals who exploit them once they arrive in the UK.