09 May COMPENSATION IS DUE TO ASYLUM SEEKERS UNLAWFULLY DETAINED AT MANSTON SHORT-TERM HOLDING FACILITY

An independent inquiry commenced on 17 March 2025 to investigate the poor conditions at the “Manston Short-Term Holding Facility” – a large camp on a former military base set-up in February 2022 to detain newly arrived asylum seekers.

Between June 2022 and November 2022 Manston became severely overcrowded because the Home Office was not moving people to asylum support accommodation within 24 hours, as they should have been. Our clients report sleeping on the floor of very cold tents with hundreds of others with insufficient access to healthcare, bedding, showers or food, in some cases for over a month. Physical violence and racist language are said to have been used.  Detainees attempted to self-harm using barbed wire. People were locked in isolation vans allegedly as a form of punishment. Infectious diseases were allowed to spread and an asylum seeker tragically died of diphtheria.

The Inquiry will investigate and report on the “decisions, actions and circumstances” which led to these conditions. However, it will not award compensation for the many failings or for unlawfully detaining thousands of people who were entitled to liberty.  Legal action is therefore necessary to obtain compensation for those affected and to underline that such a breakdown in conditions and safeguards cannot be allowed to happen again.

Deighton Pierce Glynn is representing a group of asylum-seekers and refugees detained at Manston in a claim against the Home Office for compensation, arguing that they were unlawfully detained, and that their human rights and rights under the Equality Act 2010 were breached. The many thousands of others who were similarly detained and mistreated may also be entitled to compensation.  A Factsheet has been prepared with further information, and with details of firms who have experience with bringing Manston compensation claims and may be able to assist.  Individuals affected should seek advice as soon as possible due to imminent court deadlines.

DPG’s Manston team can be contacted on Manston@dpglaw.co.uk for further information.

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