Britain’s asylum system is reportedly facing challenges due to a rise in claims from individuals falsely presenting themselves as gay in attempts to secure asylum status. This issue has been highlighted by Peter Tatchell, a well-known campaigner for LGBT rights and founder of the Peter Tatchell Foundation. Tatchell revealed that his charity is receiving daily contact from as many as 30 individuals, mostly from Pakistan, who appear to be fabricating evidence of their sexual orientation to strengthen their asylum applications.
Tatchell noted that the foundation has observed a surge in small donations, usually under £3, being made to their accounts almost daily—sometimes reaching as many as 30 donations in a single day. These donations are frequently followed by requests for membership cards or letters that affirm the donors’ supposed sexual identity. These documents are then presumably intended to be used as evidence in support of their claims to the Home Office.
In a letter addressed to Joanna Rowlands, the Home Office’s immigration chief, in January, Tatchell pointed out: “It has come to our attention that some asylum applications from South Asia have referenced the Peter Tatchell Foundation in support of their claims to secure asylum. For the past 18 months, we have noticed almost daily donations of less than £3, sometimes as many as 30 in a single day. It is apparent many of these donors are likely asylum applicants. We have also received emails from some of these ‘donors’ requesting membership cards or letters for their asylum applications.”
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Tatchell emphasised that the foundation’s longstanding work with LGBT asylum seekers has been largely positive. He stated, “The people we help have gone on to become model members of the community, contributing to the UK economy. Any suspicious requests for help are promptly investigated and blocked.” He added that none of the individuals officially assisted by his foundation have been exposed as fraudulent.
This uptick in fabricated claims as reported by Tatchell presents an additional layer of complexity within the UK’s asylum procedures, underpinning ongoing concerns about verifying the authenticity of asylum seekers’ claims, particularly those based on sexual orientation. The Peter Tatchell Foundation continues to support genuine LGBT refugees while striving to identify and prevent misuse of their resources.
The Express is reporting this issue amid wider scrutiny of the UK's immigration and asylum systems, reflecting concerns about monitoring and verifying claims to ensure fairness and integrity in the process.
Source: Noah Wire Services