- Advocacy and campaigning Initiatives
- Government and Parliamentary updates
- Reports and research
- Resources, events, jobs and training
- What we’re reading, watching and listening to
- Advocacy and campaigning Initiatives
Suspension of Refugee Family Reunion
A Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules has confirmed the suspension of new refugee family reunion applications after 3pm on Thursday 4th September, drawing criticism from campaigners. This decision puts families at risk of prolonged separation and highlights the urgent need for public pressure to protect the right to family life for people seeking safety in the UK. Update from Free Movement here and GMIAU have published a helpful explainer with background, options and reaction. Analysis of the human impact from RAMFEL here. As part of our Fight for Asylum Rights campaign, we are calling for the government to reinstate and expand safe routes so children and families can reach safety without risking their lives.
Communities Not Camps
The Downing Street spokesperson, the Defence Secretary and Mike Tapp MP, the new Minister for Migration and Citizenship, have trailed the possibility of people seeking asylum being placed in military bases and industrial warehouses, in plans echoing those of the last Conservative Government. No firm announcement has yet been made. A Home Office statement said “We have committed to close all asylum hotels and to achieve this we will look at a range of cheaper, more appropriate sites like disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so that we can reduce the impact on communities”. Sky News, meanwhile reports on accounts from current residents at the camp at Napier in Folkestone, which was supposed to close in September, including allegations of people sleeping fourteen to a room.
Take action!: the new team at the Home Office must not reenact already failed policies which have caused harm and trauma to people seeking safety and divided and harmed communities. Write to your MP now using this easy tool.
Epping hotel ruling
Epping Forest District Council in Essex has confirmed its intention to appeal directly to the Supreme Court, after a temporary injunction it had secured for the closure of the Bell hotel was overturned at the Court of Appeal, who found a ‘number of errors of principle’ in the original judgment. Political leaders in Epping have signed a joint letter asking protest organisers to “give our community breathing space”.
Lords argue to Lift the Ban
Over 3000 of you wrote to members of the House of Lords as part of the Lift the Ban coalition’s ‘lobby a Lord’ action, and it had a real impact. At the Committee Stage debate of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill on Monday 8th September, Peers from across the political spectrum spoke up for working rights. Lord Rees of Easton (Labour), Lord German (Lib Dem), Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative), Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green), Lord Kerr of Kinlochard (Crossbencher), Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour), Baroness Hamwee (Lib Dem) and Lord Dubs (Labour) all made compelling arguments to lift the ban on work for people seeking asylum. The Lift the Ban campaign is seeking to build on this momentum at the upcoming Report Stage of the bill and urge the House of Lords to vote for amendments to the bill that pave the way for working rights.
NEW tools to write to your local councillor(s) and ask them to support Lifting the Ban
Over Autumn we are hoping to get as many local councillors across the country as possible to add their signatures to this open letter to Local Government Secretary Steve Reed on the benefits to local communities of lifting the ban – and we need YOUR help!
We have developed a guide on how to contact your local ward councillor(s), and a template letter you can send them to ask for their support for the campaign:
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Here is a guide on how to contact your local ward councillor and a template letter you can send them: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vuke1mkkIRw8vYC1F1MCebbnqO49a9yd/edit
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Here is a sign-up form for local councillors to add their signatures to the letter to Steve Reed: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSce7qCL2SMNQjD6d53EYbNiRB6XpoZdaYys2Sg0vuJV70jgDg/viewform
Asylum Support/Poverty
The Home Office has announced that as of 11th August, it has blocked transactions made with ASPEN cards in certain retailers. Every retail outlet has a Merchant Category Code (MCC) to identify it. The Home Office has created a list of MCCs that are blocked. Their rationale for this is that it is “a targeted measure to ensure that public funds should be used for the purpose for which they are provided: to support essential living needs. These restrictions are designed to uphold the integrity of public assistance programmes by preventing expenditure on goods and services that fall outside the scope of essential living needs —such as entertainment, luxury items, and non-essential personal services.”
The list is long and will be reviewed over time. It includes health, beauty shops, art and craft shops, hobby, toy and games shops, bicycle shops, opticians and fines. If you would like a full list, please contact us at [email protected]. Any transactions made at these retailers will be declined; however, this will not block the ASPEN card completely. Items can be purchased from other outlets with different Merchant Category Codes.
The Home Office states that an Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out, stating it is to provide “a structured analysis that confirmed the proposed MCC code restrictions would not result in unlawful discrimination and could be implemented in a way that protects vulnerable individuals while ensuring appropriate use of public funds.”
We suggest where possible, people withdraw cash to ensure more flexibility in spending. We would be interested to hear of any case studies where these restrictions have had a detrimental effect. Please contact us on [email protected] if you have any such information, stating FAO Emma.
2. Government and Parliamentary updates
New Home Secretary and Ministers
There is a new team at the Home Office:Shabana Mahmood has become the new Home Secretary, Alex Norris has become the Minister for Border Security and Asylum and Mike Tapp the Minister for Migration and Citizenship. The new Home Secretary has stated she will do ‘whatever it takes’ to stop small boat crossings and announced the UK may suspend visas for countries that won’t take back people refused asylum.
Move-on period halved
As of 1st September, the Home Office has paused its pilot to extend the move-on period for newly granted refugees to 56 days, and most single adults will now have only 28 days to find alternative accommodation, secure benefits or find a job or risk homelessness. The changes will not affect families, pregnant women, people aged 65 or older or people with a disability (as defined in the Equality Act 2010). The move has been widely condemned by campaigners, with Homeless Link and NACCOM commenting “We are appalled …This decision will put even more pressure on overstretched local authorities and voluntary sector services and ultimately result in more instances of rough sleeping and homelessness amongst new refugees.” Read Right to Remain’s explainer for people in the system here.
Hosts urgently needed – with the reduction in move-on times for most newly recognised refugees, our friends at Refugees at Home anticipate the demand for hosting increasing in the coming months, just as the weather turns colder. They will need more hosts more than ever before. If you live in a town or city, with good transport links and have a spare room, and would consider hosting a refugee or someone seeking asylum for a length of time that suits you, visit their website: https://refugeesathome.org/get-involved/get-involved-id-like-to-host/ – if you are able to help spread the message that Refugees At Home need more hosts, please contact the team who can provide stories, copy and images: [email protected]
Crisis in Asylum Appeals systems
A Financial Times investigation highlights how rushed asylum decision-making and inexperienced staffing have led to a backlog and rising appeals. Accuracy in initial decisions has dropped sharply, with nearly 47% of refusals overturned on appeal, pushing tens of thousands of claims into limbo.
3. Reports and research
Right to Heal: Rebuilding Community Trust & Support report
Sisters Not Strangers (SNS) coalition has produced the Right to Heal report that documents the mental health impact of last year’s far-right riots on refugee and asylum-seeking women and explores ways to rebuild trust and healing within our communities.
The Afghanistan Response Route
The National Audit Office has published a report examining the value for money of the Afghanistan Response Route, looking at the events leading to the creation of the route, the number of individuals who are expected to be resettled and associated costs.
4. Resources, events, jobs and training
Jobs:
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Upbeat Communities are looking for a Refugee Integration Worker. Deadline: 9am on Wednesday 17th September 2025.
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JCWI are looking for a Head of Casework, deadline 25 September
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SHARe Knowsley are looking for a Volunteer Coordinator, deadline 13 October
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- What we’re reading, watching and listening to
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This piece in the Liverpool Echo about the lived impact of anti-migrant activity and hostile Government measures.
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Watch ‘The Lost Guide’, a short film that highlights life of asylum seekers, produced by Pickwell Foundation.
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A thoughtful first-person piece in Metro hears from people living in hotels
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Free Movement Bumper Briefing on the state of the asylum system in the UK
