The shocking, hidden lives of refused asylum seekers whose bids for sanctuary have been rejected by the British government are revealed in this multimedia piece.

Abbie Trayler-Smith has photographed men and women who have fled torture and persecution in troubled states including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Somalia and Zimbabwe. They had hoped to find sanctuary in the UK but instead are enduring a new kind of torment – destitution.
All of the individuals featured have been refused asylum and are living in extreme poverty rather than return to their home countries, in most cases out of fear of what might await them upon their return. With just a handful of possessions they move from place to place, sleeping in phone boxes, on night buses or park benches.

This edit focuses on 3 people’s stories; Hamid from Iran, and Thania and Alain from the DR Congo.