Asylum Seekers and Benefits

Asylum Seekers and Benefits A Report on Asylum Seekers and Benefits. I. Introduction In the run up to the general election, asylum is once again in the headlines. The refugee council report (RC: 2004: 2) that asylum is the third most important issue in voters’ minds. Despite its importance as an issue, reliable information about asylum is difficult to come by. Media reports are sensationalist, often using a vocabulary that is derogatory or just plain incorrect. For example, the term ‘illegal asylum seeker’ is often used. Yet as a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees, anyone has the right to make an asylum claim, and they have a legal right to stay while they make their claim (UN: 1951: Article 31.1). Thus, no asylum seeker is illegal while making a claim. This report will attempt to address some of these misconceptions by analysing asylum seekers in the UK, and in particular the relationship of asylum seekers to benefits and the welfare state. The perceived sapping of the welfare state by asylum seekers is one of the issues the press hi ghlights in its coverage of asylum. This report will argue that fears over asylum seekers draining the welfare state are misplaced, and statistics from the London local authorities will be analysed to make this argument. II. What is an Asylum Seeker? An asylum seeker, simply put, is someone claiming the status of asylum. The 1951 UN treaty on refugees states (ibid) that an asylum seeker must only have a reasonable chance of persecution in his or her country of origin in order to be granted asylum. Asylum seekers may come from anywhere in the world. For the last two years the bulk of the asylum seekers coming to the UK have been from Afghanistan and Iraq (RC: 2004:5): but the 1951 convention states that application from all countries must be considered. What we have witnessed over the last ten years in the UK is the putting in place of a whole series of restrictions against the spirit, if not the actual wording, of the 1951 convention. For instance, while the convention demands that applications from all countries be considered, the government has set up a ‘safe list’ of countries from which applications for asylum will not be considered (UN: 1951:Article 3, HO: 2002/267). Furthermore, as Craze notes   (2002:4): â€Å"since the 1950’s, Europe has witnessed a closing of its borders. In Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in Morocco, an enormous electrified fence has been erected to try to prevent immigrants from crossing into Fortress Europe and naval ships now patrol the gulf of Gibraltar on the look out for immigrants.† When understanding the way asylum works in the UK, it is important to situate it in terms of the political shifts that have occurred Europe-wide. Such shifts have made asylum applications increasingly difficult, and have demonised and marginalized people who have a legal basis to make their claim. III. How many Asylum Seekers come to the UK? Asylum figures are dogged by controversy and heated debate. Yet, the recent data from the UNHCR (UNHCR: 2005) seems to suggest an opposite state of affairs to that suggested by the tabloid press. Asylum applications round the world have dropped sharply for the third year in a row, and are now at their lowest level for sixteen years. There is a 19% percent drop in asylum applications in the EU, with a 33% fall in the UK: which means there has been a decline of 66% in the last two years. For instance, in the Westminster Local Authority (Wesminster: 2005), there were 1,453 asylum seekers claiming support in April 2003. By march 2004; this had dropped to just 973. This drop was paralleled elsewhere in London, where in the same time period the number of asylum seekers seeking support fell from 42,137 to 32,245. In the UK, there are presently 40,200 asylum seekers compared to 60,050 in 2003. In 2001, Armenia absorbed 70 refugees per 1000 inhabitants: in comparison, Britain absorbed only two (HO: 2001). Furthermore, in 2003 Britain was only ranked the ninth country in Europe for accepting applications per capita. At this juncture is must be remembered that the vast majority of asylum seekers never manage to leave the countries immediately surrounding the country they fled: African countries support far more refugees than European countries, despite having less far less resources to deal with them. Thus, the exaggeration of the press, who propose that Britain is being swamped with asylum seekers, is unfounded. The UK receives a relatively small number of asylum seekers per capita, and that number is falling rapidly. Finally, it should be remembered that the UK has a legal obligation to accept asylum seekers while they make their claim. IV. What burden do Asylum Seekers place on the UK welfare state? It is frequently alleged that asylum seekers only arrive in the UK because our welfare system is a ‘soft’ touch. Yet, a recent Home Office report (HORS: 2002:15) concluded that family, language and colonial history determine where asylum seekers go, not the level of welfare state provision. People do not arrive in the UK hoping to exploit the welfare state. Furthermore, the level of welfare state provision for asylum seekers is woefully inadequate. Asylum seekers are not eligible for normal benefit services. Instead, if asylum seekers want to apply for benefits they must apply to the National Asylum Support Service (NASS). Through this service, a single adult is eligible for just  £38.96 a week, only 70% of basic income support. An Oxfam/Refugee Council report (2002: 19) concludes that many asylum seekers do not even access these funds, due to a poorly administrated system. They found that 85% of asylum seekers experience hunger during their application, and 95% cannot afford clothes and basic essentials. In December 2003, 80,000 asylum seekers were receiving Home Office support, compared to 1.5 million UK nationals (not including people receiving pensions). Given the financial information we noted above, that means that asylum seekers account for just 0.5% of the total benefit budget. Given this information, we can see that the claims of the press are completely unfounded. Further, under section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, in January 2003 many asylum seekers were denied basic support. This denial was made on the grounds that asylum seekers had not applied for asylum in ‘reasonable time.’ However, as we noted above, given immigration restrictions in the UK it is almost impossible to enter the country legally to make an appeal. If we refer to Appendix I: the total number of asylum seekers supported by London Authorities, we can see that during the period the bill was implemented the number asylum seekers being supported dropped steeply from 34,175 to 32,281. In June of this year, a high court decision has found such a denial of benefit in breach of the human rights of the asylum seekers, and the government has been forced to reinstate it pending an appeal by the government. Given the extent of the discourse on asylum being a drain on the UK welfare state, it is perhaps surprising to remember the myriad benefits asylum brings. A home office report (quoted RC: 2002:1) show people born outside the UK, including asylum seekers, contribute 10% more in taxes and national insurance contributions than they cost in benefits. In 1998/9, that gives the UK economy a boost of  £2.6 billion. Asylum seekers also bring a wealth of experience into the country. A report from the department of works and pensions   (DWP: 2001) shows that 53% of refugees had academic qualifications. However, since July 2002, asylum seekers are prevented from using their qualifications by government policy that makes it impossible for asylum seekers to work while their claim is being processed. The Medical Practioners Union (quoted, RC: 2001: 3), roundly condemning government policy, points out that despite the massive shortage of trained personnel for the NHS, the government still refus es to open up the health service job market to qualified asylum seekers: despite the fact that it costs only  £5,000 to retrain a foreign doctor, compared to a cost of  £250,000 to train a British doctor from scratch. Thus, while the figures on asylum numbers we analysed in section III are important, they must be placed in a context of the positive benefits asylum seekers bring to the contrary, and a debilitating government policy that prevents them doing even more.    V. Conclusion This report has briefly analysed the current status of asylum in the UK today. Current debates on asylum are marred by a xenophobic anxiety about asylum that distorts the information we have available, and masks the legal obligations that the UK has. The government has done precious little to address these problems, and many of its policies contravene the spirit, if not the code, of the 1951 convention. This report has begun to show that asylum numbers are not anywhere near as big as they are claimed to be by the press, that the amount of support asylum seekers require from the state is nothing like as large as the press would have you believe. Finally, this report has emphasised the importance of the UK’s legal obligation to asylum seekers. VI. Bibliography Craze, J. 2002: Fortress Europe. Europa. Vol. 1: No.3.Departments of Works and Pensions. 2001: Report on Asylum Seekers and Employment. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/Home Office Press Release 2002: Building a Safer Britain. 07/2002: 267.Home Office Research Study. 2002: Understanding the decision-making of asylum seekers. Home Office Research Study 243. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration_research_pubs.htmlHome Office. 2001: Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2001. Home Office National Statistics. Refugee Council. 2004: Tell It Like It Is: The Truth About Asylum. http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/Refugee Council Oxfam. 200: Poverty and Asylum in the UK. http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/publications/pub007.htm#povertyUN. 1951: Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/o_c_ref.htmUNHCR: 2005. Asylum Levels and Trends in Industralised Countries, 2004.http://www.unhcr.ch/statisticsWesminster Local Authority. 2005: Distributions Statistics 2004-5: Lon don Asylum Seekers. http://www.wesminster.gov.uk/ Appendix I: London Local Authority Asylum Seeker Trends (Source: http://www.westminster.gov.uk/)

What Impressions of the Characters Relationship Are Conveyed by the Language They Use, and the Interaction Between Them

What impressions of the characters relationship are conveyed by the language they use, and the interaction between them? In this text, the opening scene of Ibsen’s Dolls House, the conversation between Helmer and Nora shows who acts as a more authoritative figure through imperatives, patronising lexis and explanative language. This is to show the relationship between the married couple regarding terms of how they address each other. I will also consider gender theories such as Debora Tennen’s gender theory of politeness and Zimmerman and West’s suggesting men are more dominating in conversation.The purpose of the text, A Dolls House, is to reveal information about the relationship between Nora and Helmer through the interactions of their conversation and their lexis. Nora speaks in a polite manor, ‘just this minute’ which could be interpreted through Trudgill’s gender theory suggesting women use precise pronunciation to aim to be viewed at a h igher class. The adjective, ‘just’ could imply Nora will act quickly in order to respond to her husband because he has a higher status and power over herself.However, her husbands language is very different, ‘been wasting money again? ’ this rhetorical question implies a threatening and dominant tone. This could be interpreted by kZimmerman and West’s gender theory which suggests men act more dominant in conversation in order to gain and keep power. The terms of address the couple use change in relation to the conversation topic. Nora addresses her husband by his second name, ‘As you please, Torvald’ which could imply their relationship is formal and she has little authority as he holds all the power.This could be interpreted by Debora Tennen who states that women use terms of address and politeness to form bonds. However, Helmer addresses Nora in two different approaches; whilst they are having a general conversation Nora is referred to as his possession, ‘My little skylark’ the adjective ‘little’ implying she is belittled as she has no authority. Also, the use of the pronoun, ‘my’ implies Nora belongs to Helmer and she has control over her hence the metaphor for her name.However, when Nora ‘misbehaves’ she is addressed with her name, ‘Nora, Nora! Just like a woman! ’ his use of explanative language portrays his loss of patience with her but also he is telling her off like Nora is a child in a patronising manor. The repetition of ‘Nora’ implies she has done wrong and he dismisses her to get her to behave like a father would to a child. This could be interpreted by Grice’s maxims of quantity as he speaks more than Nora implying he has a higher level of authority and power.

Butler Lumber Case Study Analysis Essay

Subject: Butler Lumber Company Problem: Whether Mr. Mark Butler should go ahead with financing from Northrop National Bank or should stay with Suburban National Bank. Options: 1) Enter into a loan agreement with Northrop National Bank for USD 465,000 (Assumption: The condition to sever the relationship with Suburban National Bank applies to Short Term Loan only) 2) Continue short term lending relationship with Suburban National Bank for USD 250,000 and secure the company’s loan with real property Recommendation: Given available data, Butler Lumber company should enter into a loan agreement with Northrop National Bank for USD 465,000 Analysis: Our recommendation to Mr. Mark Butler to enter into agreement with Northrop Bank for line credit of USD 465,000 is based on the following factors: External Financing Need We assessed the company’s external financing need in 1991 based on the following scenarios: a)The current quarter net sales of 1991 attributes 26% of annual sales of company in 1991, since first quarter sales of 1990 contributed 26% of total 1990 net sales and hence the total net sales projected for 1991 is USD 2.77 Mn. Balance Sheet and Income statement have been projected at percentage of sales (Please refer to exhibit no. 1). In this scenario, we assume company doesn’t opt to take discounts on its purchases b)Net Sales of USD 2.77Mn, company opts to take discounts on its purchases c)Net sales in 1991 of USD 3.6Mn as indicated by bank’s investigator in the case study Under both the above scenarios, company would need more financing than its current bank credit facility of USD 250,000. Under scenario (a), if the company decides not to take discounts, then it would need short term credit facility of USD 211,000 to meet its short term capital requirements, however company’s accounts payables would increase to USD 263,000 and its net profit will be USD 49,000. Hence as far company’s financing need is concerned it can continue its short term relationship with the existing bank. On the other hand, if the company decides to take discounts, then it would need short term loan of USD 407,000 to meets its working capital requirements and hence would have to go into agreement with the new bank. Under this scenario, company’s accounts payables would amount to USD 55,000 and net profit would be USD 61,000. Under scenario no (b), Butler Lumber total assets are projected to outpace total liabilities (excluding short term loan) by USD 628, 000, hence the existing loan will be far from fulfilling client’s working capital needs and the loan from Northrop Bank will be able to bridge USD 465,000 of the gap, however company would still be needing USD 162,000 under current mode of operation. We recommend that apart from getting new line of credit from Northrop Bank, company should reduce its days receivables period. Increase in Profitability Option 1: If the company remains with the existing bank loan, the total interest expenses are projected to increase by USD 7,000 in 1991 and resulting into after-tax net profit USD 49,000 with loan from existing bank. The effective rate of interest expense is 13.2% with existing loan. (Please refer to exhibit _____) Compared to 1990, ROA will remain the same at 5% and ROE will remain at 13%. Option 2: If the company replaces its short term line of credit from its existing bank to new bank, the total interest expenses are projected to increase by USD 11,000 in 1991, however company will be able to earn discounts of USD 27,000, resulting into after-tax net profit of USD 61,000 with new loan as compared to after-tax net profit of USD 49,000 with loan from existing bank. The effective rate of interest expense with new loan, after taking effect of discount income, is 5.0% compared to 13.2% with existing loan. (Please refer to exhibit _____) Compared to 1990, ROA will increase to 6% while ROE will increase to 17%. These profitability ratios indicate a better result by taking up the new loan than staying with the old bank. By Dupont analysis (Please see exhibit___), the main drivers for the higher ROE for new loan is due to higher profit margin which offset the lower equity multiplier. The effect of the discount income has driven the profitability, which in turn reflected also in the ROE and ROA ratios. Changes in Flexibility with the new loan Decreasing Flexibility in Managerial Decisions: The company becomes less flexible in its managerial decisions by taking up the new loan. It would be bounded by the negative covenants imposed by the new bank. These negative covenants place clear restrictions to Butler’s future managerial decisions, including investments in fixed assets and limited withdrawals of funds. Because of Butler’s conservative operating so far, he should be able to deal with these restrictions. Furthermore, Butler Lumber’s increased sales are shielded from the general economic downturn to some degree due to the relatively large proportion of its repair business. This will facilitate the maintenance of the net working capital even in a general economic downturn stage. As additional part of the covenants the bank placed importance on the net working capital. This could have positive impact to the firm’s future. As the firm is affected by liquidity problems, the covenants on net working  capital will make Butler to be more mindful about firm liquidity in midst of sales expansion. Thus, it could reduce the chance of Butler ending back with a situation of liquidity issues. Increasing Flexibility in Financial Opportunities: Because company’s business is seasonal, the financial opportunities by the new loan offer scope to balance seasonal variations. Another point is the now possible use of discounts provided by suppliers (see Increase in Profitability section). Ratios (please refer to exhibit ___) Option 1: If Butler Lumber stays with the old bank we can observe a constant value, from 1990 to 1991, for net working capital, current and quick ratio. At first glance, seems that the firm is able to cover current liabilities with current assets, but, without the inventory (which takes more time to convert into cash), the situation is completely different. The D/E increases from 1,68 to 1,72, while the interest coverage presents a value, that, even if lower, is acceptable. With regard to the profitability, the ROA and the ROE remain constant. The cash cycle increases from 64 to 72: this is due to an increase to both inventory and receivables period, even if we can observe an increase in the payable as well. Option 2: Taking the new loan lead to an increase in net working capital, mainly due to the reduction of current liabilities (in fact, despite the increase in notes payable, there is a drastic reduction in accounts payable, in order to get the discount). In this scenario both current and quick ratio improve, indicating an improvement in firm’s liquidity. The D/E decreases from 1,68 to 1,62 and the interest coverage presents an acceptable value as well. Unlike scenario (a), profitability improves in a consistent way: ROA increases to 6% and ROE increases to 16%. The cash cycle rises significantly due to the combined effect of increase in inventory and receivables period and decrease in payable. Appendices Exhibit 1: projected income statement and balance sheet Projected income statement 19901991 USD in millions, FYE 31-DecActual% of Sales Scenario a-1Scenario a-2Scenario b Net sales12,694100.00% 2,7712,7713,600 COGS Beginning Inventory326418418418 Purchases2,0422,0182,0182,746 2,3682,4362,4363,164 Ending Inventory241815.52%430430559 Total COGS21,95072.38%2,0062,0062,606 GROSS PROFIT744 765765994 Operating expenses365820.90%667667840 Interest expenses433N.A405151 Discounts 2742 NET INCOME BEFORE TAXES53 5874145 Provision for income taxes59101437 NET INCOME44 4961107 Projected balance sheet 19901991 USD in millions, FYE 31-DecActual% of Sales Scenario a-1Scenario a-2Scenario b Cash2411.52%424255 Account receivable, net231711.77%326326424 Inventory418430430559 CURRENT ASSETS776 7987981037 Property, net21575.83%161161210 TOTAL ASSETS933 9609601247 Notes payable (bank)6233N.A247407465 Notes payable (Mr. Stark)0N.A000 Notes payable, trade0N.A000 Accounts payable22569.50%2635575 Accrued expenses39N.A393939 L-t debt, current portion77N.A777 CURRENT LIABILITIES535 556508586 L-t debt750N.A434343 TOTAL LIABILITIES585 599551629 Net worth348N.A348348348 Retained earnings84961107 New Net Worth397409455 TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET WORTH933 9969601084 PLUG EFN -360162 Scenarios: -a-1 refers to projected sales of $2,771m in 1991 and a continuing relationship with Suburban National Bank -a-2 refers to projected sales of $2,771m in 1991 and a new relationship with Northrop National Bank -b refers to projected sales of $3,600m in 1991 and a new relationship with Northrop National Bank Notes: 1 Q1 1991 sales are $718m. Q1 1990 sales were 25.91% of FY 1990 sales. We assume this ratio to be constant in scenario a. In scenario b, we rely of Northrop National bank’s assumption of $3,600m sales in 1991. 2 Assumed to be percentage of sales. 3 Operating expenses includes Mr. Butler’s salary. Operating expenses are projected by decreasing operating expenses of 1990 by $95K (salary) and applying percentage of sales to the operating expenses without salary, then adding back $88K (annualised Q1 1991 salary) to get the operating expenses of 1991. 4 : As a corporation, Butler is taxed @15% on its first $50,000 sales, @25% on the next $25,000, and @34% on all additional income above $75,000.

A Brief Note On Social Media And Advertising - 1469 Words

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