Some failed asylum seekers are dependent on charity

Refugees refused permission to stay in England and Wales are left in "limbo" without money or shelter, said Amnesty International UK and Refugee Action.

Under the current system, cash is cut off and accommodation is withdrawn 21 days after a final claim is rejected.

The Home Office said its view was that failed asylum seekers should go home.

Amnesty International's UK Director Kate Allen said government policy was "a failure on both a practical level and a humanitarian level".

"Forcing people into complete destitution as an attempt to drive them out of the country is backfiring badly and vulnerable people are suffering," she said.

As a policy for dealing with refused asylum seekers, destitution simply is not working Sandy Buchan

"Refused asylum seekers in our towns and cities are being reduced to penniless poverty - forced to sleep in parks, public toilets and phone-boxes.

She added they had no access to vital medicines and had to rely on the charity of friends or drop-in shelters.

Refugee Action's chief executive Sandy Buchan said: "As a policy for dealing with refused asylum seekers, destitution simply is not working.

"Driving people onto the streets makes return even less likely."

Temporary permits

Both charities believe the government should stay in contact with rejected asylum seekers and financial support should continue until their case is resolved.

They also want the government to grant temporary, renewable permission to let refused asylum seekers, who cannot return home safely for six months, work and have medical care.

They also called for so-called "limbo" asylum seekers, still in the UK after several years, to be allowed to stay in the country to work, claim benefits and have medical care.

FAILED ASYLUM SEEKER PROCESS Asylum seeker told application has failed Given about 10 days to lodge an appeal If appeal is thrown out, have 21 days before support is cut off If no flight after then, can apply for food vouchers and housing Or person is detained until they can be forcibly removed

Responding to the report, a Home Office spokesman said: "We will bend over backwards to help people go home voluntarily - but if that hand of support is pushed away, we will enforce return."

He said last year it had removed a failed asylum seeker every half hour on average.

The spokesman added there were occasions when failed asylum seekers who were unable to leave immediately, were given accommodation and non-cash support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Church donations

But the charities said in order to gain such food vouchers, asylum seekers had to agree to return home "voluntarily".

The reports noted "many refused asylum seekers are fearful of such agreements, not least as they are from countries - such as Iraq or Somalia - torn apart by conflict or where human rights abuses are rife".

Charity workers who spoke to people living in London and other UK cities, found some had been destitute for more than five years.