Next week – 3-10 November Refugee Action is planning a week of action on social media to draw attention to EDM 99 – which calls for the asylum support rate to be increased to 70% of the equivalent level of income support.

Refugee Action is asking its supporters to tweet (or email) their MP and ask them to sign the EDM.  The aim is to get 100 signatures on the EDM before the November recess begins on 11th November.

Earlier this year, Refugee Action took the Home Office to court over their decision to freeze the rate of financial support given to asylum seekers while they wait for a decision on their claim. After the High Court ruled in Refugee Action’s favour, the Home Office reviewed its decision-making process on this issue.

However, the Home Office decided to keep Section 95 support at its current level – which can be as little as £5.23 a day.  Refugee Action believes this decision will leave many asylum seekers unable to meet their essential living needs, and is continuing to lobby for a fair (70% of income support) asylum support rate by getting people to ask their MP to sign EDM 99.  So far, 74 MPs have signed EDM 99.

From 10am on 3 November until 5pm on 10 November, Refugee Action will be asking supporters to tweet the following message to their MP:

As your constituent, I don’t think asylum seekers should have to live on £5.23 a day. Please sign EDM 99: http://bit.ly/1vcD3Kf

Supporters can find their MP on Twitter using www.tweetyourmp.com.