Asylum seekers become passive and their mental health deteriorates after spending long periods ‘doing nothing’ in refugee centres, Trouw reports on Friday.

The paper bases its claims on a new report by the government’s advisory commission on refugee affairs ACVZ which says asylum seekers should have more to fill their days.

‘Most of them are forced to do nothing,’ the commission says. ‘They do little more than a few household chores, eat, watch television, go for walks and sleep.’

This situation would be solved if refugees were given more opportunities to work or do voluntary work, or follow some form of education, the commission says.

Some 14,000 asylum seekers are currently housed in the country’s 28 formal refugee centres and other residences.