MIGRANT Helpline has welcomed the decision by the House of Lords that withholding benefits from asylum seekers who failed to claim asylum as soon as they arrived in the country was a breach of their human rights.

The unanimous judgment by the House of Lords upheld the original decision by the Appeal Court.

Section 55 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2002, which came into force in January 2003, left many applicants destitute and sleeping rough.

Annie Ledger, chief executive of Migrant Helpline said: "We are delighted with this result. Many of our staff in Dover and Croydon saw at first hand the suffering endured by thousands of asylum seekers denied support through this inhumane legislation, often faced with sleeping outside during the coldest months of the year.

"This is a victory for justice and the protection of human rights."

Migrant Helpline, which was originally established as a charity, is one of six agencies, partly funded by the National Asylum Support Service, which provide assistance and support for asylum seekers and refugees entering the UK.

It also runs induction services for newly-arrived asylum seekers.