Asylum seekers in Aberdeen are increasingly relying on food banks to meet their basic needs amid financial constraints and reports of hostility in their communities. Several individuals residing in shared accommodation described difficult living conditions and incidents of abuse.

Ahmad, a South Asian asylum seeker in his twenties who arrived in the UK in 2025, has been living in a former student residence in Aberdeen since November 2025. The building houses around 150 asylum seekers in small individual rooms, with communal kitchens and bathrooms shared by six people. Residents have limited access to amenities, with no television or Wi-Fi available. Ahmad said surviving on the £49 weekly allowance is challenging, forcing him and others to cook very basic meals together. He noted that while he had hoped living in the student block would offer more security than previous hotel accommodations, where anti-asylum protests have taken place, he has still experienced verbal abuse outside the building. He recounted an incident where a rock was thrown through a kitchen window.

Arash, a Kurdish-Iranian asylum seeker who arrived in September 2025, lives in similar conditions in the Farmers Hall student flats, another building housing roughly 150 asylum seekers. He said that although he has more personal freedom compared to hotel living, the limited financial support means he must supplement his food supply through local food banks. Arash reported experiencing abuse, including being spat on and threatened, although he acknowledged that many residents in Aberdeen have been welcoming.

Moussa, an asylum seeker from West Africa who arrived in 2024, described the £49 weekly support as insufficient not only for food but also for essentials such as clothing and shoes.

A spokesperson for the Home Office condemned all abuse directed at asylum seekers as “completely unacceptable.” The spokesperson also emphasized that community concerns remain “central” to ongoing plans regarding asylum arrangements.

In recent weeks, anti-migrant protests have taken place in cities across Scotland, including Glasgow, reflecting tensions around the presence of asylum seekers.

The accounts from Aberdeen underline the financial hardship faced by asylum seekers residing in shared accommodations and the mixed responses from local populations, ranging from support to intimidation.