Home Office was told Rwanda policy was making asylum seekers feel suicidal

Accommodation providers told officials of increase in people threatening to harm themselves, minutes of meeting show

The Home Office was warned that its Rwanda policy was causing a rise in the number of asylum seekers reporting feeling suicidal and vanishing from hotel accommodation, an internal safeguarding document has revealed.

The Labour peer Helena Kennedy KC has called the Home Office heartless" for pursuing the policy despite officials knowing how much damage it was causing to people.

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.