Eighty asylum seekers held under the UK government's controversial 'one in, one out' scheme have called on United Nations bodies to investigate their treatment, alleging they have suffered 'severe psychological harm' at the hands of the Home Office. The detainees, who arrived in the UK on small boats, have compiled a report detailing conditions at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre near Heathrow Airport.
The asylum seekers, from conflict zones including Sudan, Afghanistan and Iran, accuse the Home Office of arbitrary detention, denial of legal representation, inadequate medical care and degrading treatment. They say they came to the UK 'in the pursuit of safety, dignity and a chance to live a peaceful life'. The report states that many detainees are young adults between 17 and 30, with widespread depression, anxiety, insomnia and emotional breakdowns, and multiple incidents of self-harm attempts.
Detainees claim they were not given sufficient time to rest or receive psychological support after traumatic journeys, and some have not seen or spoken to their families since detention began. The report describes an environment of 'constant fear, despair, and uncertainty' where detainees feel 'dehumanised and invisible'. The authors say they ask 'not for privilege, but for fairness, humanity, and freedom'.
The call for a UN investigation coincides with new government powers to seize mobile phones from small boat arrivals, and the first return flight to France under the 'one in, one out' scheme in 2026. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it welcomes engagement with both governments to ensure international protection standards are upheld in such arrangements.
According to the Home Office, 193 people have been sent to France in the first three months of the scheme, while 195 have been brought to the UK legally. This is less than a quarter of the 803 people who crossed the Channel in a single day on 20 December. More than 41,000 people reached the UK on small boats in 2025, the second highest on record.
