Lucy Mayblin, Politics. It is illegal for asylum seekers in the UK to work. In order that they are not made destitute by this policy the government then has to provide them with welfare support. This is both costly and keeps asylum seekers in a situation of poverty and social exclusion. Lucy Mablin’s research looks at how and why this policy approach is taken, how it is resisted by activists, and what the impacts are for the treasury, for charities, and for asylum seekers.