On the 75th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention—a landmark treaty born from the ashes of World War II to protect the world’s most vulnerable—the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) has released a sobering report. Their new polling highlights a stark, unsettling divide in Scotland: while the nation prides itself on being a place of sanctuary, many citizens harbor significant misconceptions about the reality of the global refugee crisis. As we reflect on the 1951 pledge to honor the dignity of those fleeing persecution, it is clear that the conversation surrounding asylum has become increasingly clouded by disinformation, political hostility, and a lack of direct human connection.
The data, gathered from over 2,000 Scots, reveals that a vast majority—77%—have never actually had a conversation with a refugee. This gap in personal experience has fostered widespread misunderstandings. Most notably, Scots drastically overestimate the number of refugees coming to the UK, with only 13% of those surveyed having an accurate grasp of the scale. While many believe the UK is overwhelmed by a massive influx, the reality is that fewer than 1% of the world’s refugees seek safety here. This disconnect between perception and fact creates an environment where fear can easily take root, often fueled by alarmist rhetoric rather than the actual, much more modest statistics.
This tendency to overestimate extends to the daily lives of those seeking asylum. Many respondents erroneously believe that asylum seekers receive generous state support, when the reality is starkly different and incredibly difficult. For instance, more than half of those surveyed guessed that the allowance for individuals in asylum hotels is hundreds of pounds per week, when the actual figure is, in many cases, around £10. By humanizing these struggles, it becomes clear that these individuals are not arriving to exploit a system, but are simply trying to survive under extreme financial constraints while they wait months or even years for a decision on their future.
Despite these misconceptions, there remains a deep-seated undercurrent of empathy in Scotland. The poll shows that a clear majority of Scots support the right of asylum seekers to work and provide for their families while their claims are being processed—a practical and humane approach that would allow people to contribute to their new communities. Furthermore, over 60% believe that asylum-seeking children deserve the right to reunite with their families here. These findings suggest that when the humanity of others is prioritized over the polarizing headlines, the Scottish public generally favors dignity and inclusion over exclusion and punishment.
The urgency of these findings was punctuated by recent, violent scenes at Glasgow Green, where ugly far-right protests marred the city’s reputation. The sight of Nazi salutes and the eruption of pre-meditated disorder stood in violent opposition to the shared values of safety and tolerance. Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, condemned these actions as “completely and utterly unacceptable,” highlighting the dangers of allowing hateful, far-right rhetoric to infiltrate public discourse. The violence served as a grim warning: when society fails to educate itself on the reality of the refugee experience, it leaves the door wide open for division and hate to take control of the conversation.
Ultimately, the path forward lies in bridging the gap between assumptions and the lived experiences of those who have lost everything. As Nataliya Lyalyuk, a participant in the report, movingly points out, her life was once defined by her professional career and her family before war forced her to leave with little more than a suitcase. Refugees are our doctors, our teachers, and our neighbors; they are not abstract numbers, but human beings seeking the same things as anyone else—stability, safety, and a future for their children. By choosing to reject disinformation and leaning into the “open conversations” encouraged by the SRC, Scotland has the opportunity to reaffirm its legacy as a country built on the values of compassion and integrity.