Asylum policy and support

Our members advocate for policy and practice that recognises why people need sanctuary, respects the rights of asylum seekers and refugees, provides humane and appropriate support, allows the dignity of work, removes the risk of destitution at move on and provides equivalent support for those recognised as refugees whatever route they arrived into the UK.

Members use their collective voice to campaign for change, respond to consultations and identify what works and what could work better as new programmes are rolled out.

And they support policy making initiatives that seek to hear directly from people with lived experience. 

Here are some examples of their work:

Campaigning to restore the right to work for asylum seekers

We led a regional campaign with the Northern TUC as part of the national ‘Let Us Work’ campaign to allow asylum seekers the dignity of supporting themselves and their family through work. Watch our video to find out what we did.

Supporting processes through which national policy makers can hear the voice of lived experience

Our members get involved in actions that enable policy makers to get closer to the lived experiences of the people they are designing policy for. 

Closing the ‘move on’ gap for new status refugees

For many years we have advocated for systematic access to housing and employment support for those granted refugee status from asylum claims and for that support to have equity with that provided to resettled refugees. With only 28 days to move out of Home Office accommodation and end their weekly support payments, there is a high risk of avoidable destitution.

Contributing to European advocacy for the rights of refugees

Members shared our concerns and recommendations with the European Council on Refugees and Exile (ECRE) in Brussels and visited the European Parliament.to understand more about how it functions and the role of MEPs. 

Our Voice