My name is Mohammad. I am 18 years old, and I come from Sudan. I have been living in the UK for less than two years, but my journey here was long and very difficult. Today, I want to tell you my story. It is not just my story, but the story of many people like me who have been forced to leave their homes. I hope that by sharing this, and what happened to me when I arrived here, I can help change the way things work for others in the future.

In Sudan, I lived with my parents and my five sisters. Life was not always easy, but Sudan is a beautiful country and we were happy. My father was involved in politics. He wanted to make Sudan a better place, but his political work made him a target. One day, the authorities came to our house, but my father was not there so they took me instead. I was only 16 years old. I was thrown into prison, and for two weeks, I was beaten and treated badly. Those were the worst days of my life.

 

 

My uncle paid money to the police, and they let me go. But my family knew I was not safe in Sudan anymore. My parents decided I had to leave the country. They found a smuggler who would take me to Egypt. The journey was horrible. I was put in a truck meant for animals, and it was very hard to breathe. I stayed in Egypt for a few months, but I could not stay there forever so my family found another smuggler who promised to take me to the UK.

I didn’t know this at the time, but the smuggler took my photo and put it on someone else’s passport. When we arrived in the UK, he left me alone at the airport. The authorities asked me questions, and I tried to explain, but I didn’t know much English then. I told them I was 17 and they took me to accommodation for children. However, it was not long until people from the Home Office came to tell me that the passport I arrived with said I was 32 years old. As a result the authorities decided to do full assessment of my age. With this they decided I was ‘between 20 and 25 years old’ and they made me pack my bags and go to a hotel for adults.

This was very difficult because I needed help and protection as a child, but this was taken away from me.

Over the next year I lived in many different places, in fact I moved six times —to Wembley, Slough, Whitechapel, and others. Each time I started to feel comfortable, they moved me again. Moving so much made me feel lost. I couldn’t make friends or feel safe. Every time I had to pack my things and leave, it felt like starting my life all over again. In some places, the staff were nice and tried to help me, but in others, I felt very lonely.

The constant moving and uncertainty made me feel anxious all the time. I didn’t know if I would be sent to another place or if I could stay and keep going to the college I had joined. I often worried about my future. Would I ever feel safe? Would I be given asylum? These questions kept me awake at night.

“They told me ‘you are fine, you are young and you have no health or mental problems, you don’t have children or a pregnant girlfriend, you can go and sleep on the street.’ I told them OK, I will go and get one of those and come back.”

The worst thing that happened to me was being made homeless, after my request for asylum was accepted. They told me that I was now officially a refugee and therefore I was not entitled to asylum-seeker support. I didn’t understand the difference, but they kicked me out onto the street. I went to the council, who have a list of requirements before they will give you accommodation. They told me ‘you are fine, you are young and you have no health or mental problems, you don’t have children or a pregnant girlfriend, you can go and sleep on the street.’ I told them OK, I will go and get one of those and come back.

After two nights on the street an NGO offered me temporary housing with a family. I stayed with them for 10 days. During this time, and with the help of some organisations and lawyers, the authorities finally accepted that I was younger than they first thought, but by then I had turned 18. My solicitor explained to me however that the authorities would only accept my age and give me an ID card with my correct age if I agreed to not accept further support from them. This further support is the support given to young people who leave care when they turn 18 and includes supported accommodation, financial support, and support with finding education, training or work.

“I had been living with 5 other men who would drink alcohol and regularly fight in the room.”

As I was now receiving Universal Credit, and I had been attending college, all I cared about was having stable accommodation. In the hotel I had been living with 5 other men who would drink alcohol and regularly fight in the room. It was an awful place to live. I was so desperate to not return there. I explained this to my solicitor who advised me to accept the offer from the authorities, and then make an immediate request for permanent accommodation close to my college.

Today I am still living in temporary accommodation, but I have my own room, bathroom and fridge, and a shared kitchen where I can cook whatever I want. I am waiting to move again, hopefully for the last time, to permanent accommodation. I continue to go to college and I can see my English improving every day.

Despite everything, I feel positive about a future in the UK. But I know the system is broken. Many young people like me are still struggling. That is why I want to talk about the changes that are needed. Here are some important things that should be done:

1. Age Assessments Must be Fair

Age assessments must be fair. They should not have bias, prejudice, or racism. But some assessors do not treat young people fairly. I was asked by a social worker, “Why did you come to my country?” instead of asking, “Why did you come to the UK?” This kind of question makes you feel like you don’t belong. Assessors should treat everyone with respect and they should focus on finding the truth and not let their personal opinions affect their work.

To make things better, assessors should get training about different cultures. This will help them understand people’s backgrounds and not judge them unfairly. There should also be independent people to check age assessments. If someone feels the assessment was not fair, they can ask them to review it. Finally, we should be able to share our feedback. Our experiences can help make the system better and fairer for everyone.

2. Age Assessments Must Be Fast

When I arrived, they accepted I was a child, but then changed their mind. This mistake changed my life. Children need more care and support than adults, and if the authorities get your age wrong, you don’t get the help you need. In fact, after an age assessment they say you are an adult, you have 90 days to challenge the result. In contrast to this the authorities can decide at any time that someone they believed was a child is actually an adult. They don’t face the same time restriction.

Therefore, you could be settling into your life, going to college, and making friends, and then suddenly, after a year, they tell you that you are an adult. They might move you to a hotel for adults in another part of the country. This happened to me, and it was very hard. I currently have two friends that are also awaiting the results of their age-assessments, they have already been at college for 10 months. It would be fairer if the authorities also had only 90 days to challenge your age if they don’t believe you. That way, they cannot suddenly uproot your life later.

3. Provide Stable Housing

Moving from place to place makes it hard to feel safe, and when you move too much, you cannot make friends. Refugees should be given stable housing where they can stay for a long time. This would help them build a life and feel part of a community.

4. Help Refugees Understand their Rights

When I first came to the UK, I didn’t know my rights. I didn’t know what help I could ask for, and I felt very alone. I can see now that not knowing my rights made me vulnerable. I believe that the authorities know this, and it makes it possible for them to treat us unfairly. It is important to give people information in their own language so they can understand what support is available, and so they can protect themselves. I know one young person, who I met in the hotel, who was told to sign to say he accepted the outcome of his age assessment, or he would be sent back to Sudan. He was scared so he signed.

5. You Should Not Need a Lawyer to be Heard

It should be possible for us to fix things ourselves, and not rely on being lucky enough to have other people to do it for us. We should not have to force people to do the work the government pays them to do, and we should not have to rely on free lawyers and NGOs to force them either. The system is designed to make us silent, and to make us accept whatever happens to us. I was fortunate to have a lawyer to help me, and with a single email from them to the authorities, they suddenly started treating me like a king. There should be independent people who can help all of us to receive the same, fair, treatment.

6. More Support for Young Refugees

Young people like me can need extra help. We are far from our families, and we face many challenges. The system should provide more support for young refugees, including people who can guide us as we build our new lives. I was fortunate to know a Sudanese elder who had lived in England for 30 years and motivated and encouraged me through some of the hardest times. Every young person needs similar guidance and support.

7. Listen to Our Stories

One of the hardest things was feeling like no one was listening. Decisions about my life were made without understanding my story. Authorities should take the time to listen to refugees and involve us in decisions that affect us. This will lead to better outcomes for everyone.

 

The asylum system is supposed to help people, but sometimes it feels like it makes life harder. Refugees come to the UK to find safety and hope, but the system often adds to our stress and fear. We need a system that supports us and helps us rebuild our lives. I now have a chance to study and build a future here. But many refugees are still waiting for their chance. By sharing my story, I hope to show the challenges we face and the changes that are needed. Together, we can create a better system—one that listens, understands, and supports those who need it most.

After all, humanity brings us together.

Thank you for reading my story.