ASYLUM seekers could be allowed to work if a pilot proposal by council bosses in Glasgow is approved.

The council has led a taskforce which has put forward a number of changes how asylum seekers are treated.

It includes allowing asylum seekers dispersed to Glasgow to work from six months after their claim has been submitted.

The council says this would benefit the people and the city as it would “afford people dignity and enable them to use their skills to support themselves”.

The taskforce also wants asylum seekers to be able to register in regional centres like Glasgow – instead of having to travel to Croydon to do so, at their own expense.

Annemarie O’Donnell, Chair of the Asylum Taskforce and Chief Executive of Glasgow City Council, said: “When people come to our city looking for help, Glaswegians want to ensure we do everything we can to assist them. This piece of work has been carried out in an open and honest environment and I want to thank colleagues from the Scottish and UK governments, COSLA, Serco, Scottish Refugee Council and the West of Scotland Housing Forum for the way in which they have approached this.

“I am confident that the recommendations in this report, and the work that we will now do together, will allow us to do much more to support some of the most vulnerable people seeking asylum in the UK and in our city.”

The taskforce was set up last year after concerns were raised about planned evictions by private firm Serco who had the contract to house asylum seekers in Glasgow.

It included representatives from Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government, the Scottish Refugee Council, COSLA, the Home Office and Glasgow and West of Scotland Housing Forum.

The recommendations now need to be approved by the Home Office for a pilot to go ahead.