Refugee Council

Imagine arriving in a new country and having only 28 days to find a safe place to live, or you could end up homeless. For many new refugees, this is reality. Moving to a new country without knowing where to start makes finding a home tough. “Some of our clients say, ‘I haven’t had a good sleep in days.’ Not having a safe place to live is really hard,” says Adonis, who helps run our Private Rented Scheme (PRS). Our PRS helps refugees find safe homes by connecting them with kind landlords, giving them guidance, and teaching them how to rent a home. Want to know how you can help? Tap the link to learn more: https://bit.ly/4hrgNrT

🚨 Important reminder: From 1 January 2025, physical documents like biometric residence permits (BRP) and biometric residence cards (BRC) will no longer be valid as proof of immigration status. You’ll need an eVisa – a digital record of your immigration status. From 31 October 2024, new BRPs will no longer be issued, and all people who receive a positive decision on their asylum claim will receive an eVisa. You can apply for an eVisa by creating a UKVI account on https://bit.ly/45krdCG. If you’re unsure about the process or need support, Lancashire County Council have put together useful step-by-step guides in English, Arabic, Dari, Pashto, and Ukrainian. 🔗 Tap the link for the detailed guides: https://bit.ly/3NUdrjA

Refugees have skills, talents and professional experience that they can bring to our communities. After fleeing war and persecution, all they want is to rebuild their lives and careers, but they are not allowed. Months, even years, can pass before they receive a decision on their claim and only then they’re allowed to work. But it doesn’t end there. Refugees only have 28 days to find a new job. Can you imagine doing that while you’re still navigating a new country, new systems and a new language? Although many people have training and qualifications from their home countries, these are not recognised here and refugees often need additional training. With partnerships like those with IKEA and Starbucks, we help refugees gain skills, find work, and rebuild confidence, but without you this wouldn’t be possible. Read our blog to see how you can help today: https://bit.ly/4hnkoaj

What do the figures from today's budget show when it comes to the asylum system? 1️⃣ By scrapping the unworkable Rwanda plan and starting to make decisions on claims again, the Government is on track to achieve savings of £2.2bn. 2️⃣ But more can be done to deliver an asylum system that is not only value for money, but also treats refugees fairly, with dignity and humanity. 3️⃣ Instead of expensive contracts with private companies, we should be moving towards asylum support and accommodation run by councils, in a way that meets the needs of refugees and local communities.

👏 Congratulations to the refugee doctors who have just passed all their exams and are about to start work in the NHS! Refugees enrich our communities with their diverse skills and talents. Many refugees arriving in the UK are highly qualified, and are eager to contribute their expertise to the communities they become a part of. 👩⚕️ Our Building Bridges programme helps refugee doctors find work in the UK. The programme works in partnership with the NHS to retrain refugee medical professionals at 12% of the cost of training a new medical practitioner for one year. Through 1-2-1 support sessions, refugees receive support with their CV, learning about the NHS, guidance on taking the medical exams and help with registering to practice in the UK. Some of the doctors we have supported are about to start work in hospital. We are so proud and excited about all they have achieved. ➡️ You can read more about the refugee doctors who are taking part in our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3YExgBw

Far too many people seeking asylum are being housed in unsuitable accommodation at an enormous cost to the public purse. As IPPR's important report reflects, we know from the people we work with that this can have a long-lasting impact on peoples' physical and mental health.   There is a better way to manage this challenge. We echo IPPR’s calls, starting with moving control for asylum accommodation away from central Government and towards the community, where regional bodies can be empowered to find tailored and affordable solutions that best support people seeking asylum but also the areas local to where they are accommodated.   People who come to this county in search of safety are fleeing the horrors of war, violence and persecution and simply want to be safe. It’s essential that Government give them decent places to live and access to essential services while they have their claims processed.

We are deeply saddened by yet another tragic and preventable loss of life in the Channel. Each death is a reminder that those making these perilous journeys are desperate people, fleeing conflict, persecution, and war, simply seeking safety and a future free from fear. This year has already become the deadliest for Channel crossings, with more than 50 lives lost. We should not accept the frequency and scale of loss as inevitable. The Government must do everything possible to break this cycle of death by adopting a comprehensive strategy that includes disrupting smuggling networks, while also ensuring safe and legal pathways for those seeking asylum and working closely with European partners.

Our statement on the devastating death of a baby in an attempted Channel crossing.

‘Coproduction is uncomfortable’ These words by Reem ASSIL when reflecting on the work on #EquityCatalysts are sticking with me after having some really interesting conversations today at Migration Exchange (MEX) event on ‘Rethinking future leadership in migration sector’. Leaders are so used to ‘doing’ but less on reflecting and reimagining ourselves, our welbeing and leadership and we need to explore those uncomfortable areas including bias and systemic racism too. Refugee Council Lived Experience Career Development project will soon be starting pilot initiatives working with organisations and individuals from the sector looking at how we go to these ‘uncomfortable’ areas of positive change and support for lived experience leadership. Some initiatives are: - radical coaching, - accountability spaces for anti-racism, - managers upskilling, - Inclusive language guide, -career progression guide, - formal language training and peer led language cafès - and other learning towards career progression for refugees More info is here https://lnkd.in/gFRMgmAB

We are grateful to the EA Foundation for their generous £25,000 contribution towards our Refugee Advice Project (RAP). This funding has been vital in supporting refugees at a critical point in their journey—moving from asylum support to mainstream welfare. As Yasmin Comez reflected during her visit, this transition often leaves individuals at risk of homelessness, and it is in these moments that our RAP team steps in. Over the first six months of the project, our dedicated staff have provided tailored housing advice to over 97 clients, helping them to navigate this challenging time and build more stable futures. We deeply appreciate the EA Foundation’s partnership, which enables us to continue providing the support refugees need to rebuild their lives and contribute to society. To read Yasmin’s full reflections, visit the link below 👇