The journey to wellbeing - Refugees, transport, and mental health in Northern Ireland

The Mental Health Foundation’s Bridges to Belonging Project works to increase mental health awareness with people seeking asylum and refugees, as well advocating for changes in society to help improve their mental health. Using a community conversation model, we’ve worked with over 100 people in the past year. 

Our work through the Bridges to Belonging project opened our eyes to the challenges and barriers faced by refugees and people seeking asylum in accessing and using public transport in Northern Ireland. We also discovered how few forums exist for citizens to share their experiences and opinions with transportation providers.

Motivated by this insight, we undertook research to understand what refugees and people seeking asylum in Northern Ireland are experiencing when using public transport.

Findings from this research will be used to inform transport providers and policymakers and advocate for positive change for communities and beyond. 

In this report, we first outline the research design and participants. We then report on the types of transport people use, their reasons for travel, and the affordability of public transport before reporting on their experience of the quality of services. Finally, we report on recommendations for improving public transport in Northern Ireland.

The study employed a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collection.

Focus groups

Four in-person focus groups were conducted in Northern Ireland.

These locations were chosen to be in Belfast city centre for ease of accessibility by public transport, to capture a range of experiences from refugees and people seeking asylum living in urban and semi-urban settings – where this population will most likely be accommodated.

The demographic profile of respondents in the report highlights the diverse backgrounds of refugees and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland.

A significant portion of participants identified as Arab (50%) and African (29.76%), reflecting the multicultural composition of these communities. In terms of gender, most respondents were women (83.95%), indicating a gendered perspective on transport challenges. The age distribution was varied, with the largest group being individuals aged 35-44 years (41.67%), followed by those aged 25-34 years (26.19%). Most respondents were either seeking asylum (42.17%) or held refugee status (34.94%). This demographic diversity underscores the importance of tailoring public transport solutions to meet the
unique needs of a wide range of cultural, linguistic, and social groups, while also addressing specific challenges faced by women and families.

Survey demographics

• 77% lived within the Belfast City Council.
• 84% were female and 16% male.
• 26% were 25 – 34 years old, 42% were 35 – 44 years old, and 23% were between 45 – 54 years old.
• 42% were seeking asylum, and 35% had refugee status. The remainder fell into the following other categories: British Citizen from a refugee background (16%), Resettlement Visa (4%), Humanitarian protection (1%).
• 30% were African and 50% were Arab.

As shown in Figure 1, the mode of public transport most frequently used by survey respondents is the bus. 100% of respondents regularly use the bus, 25% regularly use the train, and 29% regularly use the Glider. Focus group participants also told us that they mostly use the public transport network to travel around their local area and further afield, due to it generally
being more convenient than alternatives.

There was some positive feedback about the buses:

“I take the public transport... to everywhere I go.”
Focus group participant

“It is mostly the public transport or the glider in Belfast”
Focus group participant

However, public transport provision still failed to meet people’s needs in several ways:

As in Figure 2, over half of the survey respondents reported that they regularly use public transport for going shopping for essentials (67%), attending social activities (83%), attending medical appointments (80%), attending legal appointments (55%), and going to college or university (48%).

Focus group participants reported using transport for similar reasons:

“The public transport helps us a lot to live: to go shopping and attend to other appointments.”

97.62% of survey respondents experienced being unable to afford public transport because of the cost. This key theme emerged from all the focus groups, too.

Of those survey respondents who have been unable to use public transport because of the cost, almost half (57.32%) are unable to use public transport because of the cost all or almost all the time. 4% can use public transport more than once a month but prioritise other activities, and 24% can only afford to use public transport in an emergency.

Of the survey respondents who have been unable to use public transport because of the cost, 54% have dealt with this by staying home instead of going out, 69.5% have walked to where they need to go, and 28% have borrowed money from friends or family. 

This resonates with what we learned from focus groups and in the surveys.

Participants told us that:

“Many times, I am struggling. I don’t have enough money for public transport. I have walked and sometimes cycle to a point to get a bus for cheap.”
Focus group participant

“Used to have the 6 months public transport pass, but it is expiring now, and they don’t give that anymore.”
Focus group participant

“I get stuck at home without going out... because public transport use cost a lot for us.”
Survey respondent

However, it’s important to note that to ensure that they can go out while on an extremely low income, some respondents prioritise transport over other necessities:

“Most of my money goes into transport because of cost and the size of my family I pay more.”
Survey respondent

Most survey respondents reported their interactions with public transport staff as very positive (28%) or positive (29%).
27% reported that their interactions had been neither positive nor negative. Only 3% reported that their interactions had been negative, and 1% reported that they had been very negative.

Of the respondents who had negative or very negative experiences with staff on public transport, some said that they had experienced racism perpetrated by staff:

“Since I’m a black person, they [transport staff] tend to ignore my questions and rush me”
Survey respondent

Focus group participants reported similar experiences, which they also attributed to being from a racialised community:

“I didn’t have a ticket, and he fined me, but let another white guy drop of the next stop without a fine when he said he didn’t have a ticket”

“At a bus stop near my child’s school the driver did not want me to ride because I was wearing a Hijab and the stroller was empty.”

Survey respondents also reported feeling as if staff didn’t want them on transport:

“Staff looked at me with hate. He didn’t want me on the bus.”

Survey respondents also reported positive experiences.

“The bus driver was very helpful when I asked about directions I was struggling with the English language, and he was very patient with me”

“The public transport driver always waited for me and lowered the bus when I have my daughter on the stroller and greeted me with a big smile.” 

A significant majority of survey respondents (47.62%) reported feeling safe on public transport. With no one saying they felt unsafe. Therefore, even though some people have highlighted negative experiences on public transport, in most cases, it doesn’t translate to feeling unsafe. 

However, it is worth noting during the focus group with the women some expressed concerns about being unsafe due to racism.

“Once I went on a bus and I wear hijab all the time and there was a man behind me, he pushed me and walked in front of me and sat on the seat I was going to sit on and give me a face, I went and sat on another seat and the bus driver saw all this but did not say anything.” 
Survey respondent

When asked about free travel and mental health, survey respondents overwhelmingly (80.95%) said that having access to free transport would impact their mental health.

Of those who said access to free transport would impact their mental health, four themes were consistently mentioned when they explained their reasons. 

Most often, respondents mentioned the activities that would be made possible by having access to free transport:

“[With free transport] I will be able to go ransport on a tight budget: out and meet friends, go to participate in different activities assisting my integration into my environment.”
Focus group participant

This resonated with what was shared during interviews:

“[With free transport] I can have less worry about my kids going to school and moving around easily reducing stress and worry”
Focus group participant

Secondly, many respondents mentioned that their mental health would improve as they would no longer be dealing with the stress and anxiety associated with affording transport on a tight budget:

“Even with the 6 months card going about our daily routines was less stressful and having to use transport for free especially as an asylum seeker will be helpful to my mental health.”
Focus group participant

Thirdly, several respondents mentioned that free transport would help alleviate the loneliness and isolation they currently experience:

“[With free public transport, you] have option to visit different public places to release your tension, depression and from feelings of loneliness…”
Focus group participant

“Sometimes I want to take my kids to the city center or something so that they can have fun and feel like a part of the society, but the cost of transport involved.”
Focus group participant

Lastly, respondents cited that free transport would reduce stress for parents as they will be better able to provide for their families:

“I have 3 children. And live on the outskirts of the city, public transport seldom come here and it’s a struggle to move around already and I might need two to three public transport to get to the city, the cost alone involved for a round trip just puts me off and I begin to worry.”
Focus group participant

When survey respondents were asked what changes they would most like to see in public transport in Northern Ireland, the vast majority (77.38%) said they’d want free transport for asylum seekers. Cheaper public transport was also a popular option (67.86%), followed by polite, helpful and well-trained staff (36.90%), More regular services (30.95%) and transport running time (29.76%).

The headline findings from this research emphasize the significant impact of transport costs on refugees and people seeking asylum in Northern Ireland. The survey and focus group findings reveal that cost is the most pressing transportation issue, with 97.62% of survey respondents reporting at least one instance where they could not afford transport due to cost. This problem is particularly severe for people seeking asylum who live on asylum support payments of £49.18 per week and are largely unable to work, unlike those with refugee status who have access to public funds.

For example:

“An all-day public transport ticket in Belfast costs £4.60, which is almost two-thirds of the £7.03 asylum seekers must live on per day.”
Focus group participant

“If I spend my money on the public transport ticket, I don’t have enough for food.”
Focus group participant

Furthermore, the research shows that refugees and people seeking asylum rely heavily on public transport for essential activities. 

These include attending medical and legal appointments, shopping for food and toiletries, and participating in social
activities. Attending medical and legal appointments and shopping for essentials are necessities for health and dignity. However, participating in social activities, which is key to integration and building social relationships, is often deprioritised due to the prohibitive transport cost. This trade-off is concerning, as loneliness is a known risk factor for poor mental health. As one focus group participant shared:

“Sometimes, I don’t go to community events because I have to save for the week.”
Focus group participant

From a well-being and human rights perspective, introducing free or subsidised public transport for people seeking asylum in Northern Ireland would have a transformative impact. Such a policy would enable individuals to participate more fully in social activities, reduce feelings of isolation, and ease anxiety for individuals and families. As one focus group participant expressed:

“With affordable transport, I could take my children out, meet friends, and feel like I’m part of a community.” 
Focus group participant

This research underscores the urgent need for policy change. Advocacy will be essential to ensure that any new transport initiatives are implemented inclusively and effectively. It is also our hope that Northern Ireland will follow the example set by Scotland in offering free transport for people seeking asylum, thereby supporting integration, reducing mental health risks, and fostering social inclusion. 

“I think it is very important for the public transport drivers to get training, especially about racism and how to deal with people from BME or refugee communities.”
Focus group participant

Given the report’s findings, we recommend that transport companies, government departments and other stakeholders take the following steps.

• The Department for Infrastructure should extend the current pilot programme until a concessionary fare programme can be implemented. A full evaluation of the pilot should be published, and the recommendations should inform future policy. Following the recent consultation on concessionary fares, the Department indicated that free transport for peopleseeking asylum and victims of human trafficking would only be made available if there was an adequate budget.
• The Northern Ireland Executive should commit to rolling out free public transport travel for people seeking asylum as a priority, with guidance from people with lived experience and people working with them. This will ensure that the rollout is efficient and inclusive, considering the unique needs of this community.
• The Executive’s Office Integration Strategy should commit to providing free public transport for people seeking asylum and refugees, which is a key action supporting integration.
• Free public transport travel for people seeking asylum in Northern Ireland must be completely unrestricted, without any limitations on location or time of travel.
• Free public transport travel must be provided to the asylum-seeking community to uphold their human rights and avoid stigmatisation.
• The Government must evaluate the impact of providing free public transport travel for people seeking asylum, including its mental health impacts.
• Public-facing transportation staff and strategic planners in transport companies must receive compulsory anti-discrimination training, including anti-racism training, as part of the induction process when starting their role and every two years going forward.
• The Department of Infrastructure and Translink should have mechanisms (such as citizen panels or public engagement forums) to allow people from Northern Ireland’s diverse communities, including refugees and people seeking asylum, to have their voices and experiences heard and considered in decision-making.