1. Advocacy and campaigning initiatives
2. Government and Parliamentary updates
3. Reports and research
4. Resources, events, jobs and training
5. What we’re reading, watching and listening to
1. Advocacy and campaigning initiatives
Fight for Asylum Rights
New anti-refugee laws put asylum rights under more threat than ever
On Monday, the Home Secretary announced a radical overhaul of the UK’s refugee protection system. The Government itself has called these changes the most significant change to the asylum system since the Second World War: this is true. In fact, this new attack on asylum rights puts the very principles of humanitarian protection, established after the horrors the world witnessed during the Second World War, under threat.
Here’s a summary of the policy paper:
- Decades of limbo for refugees: People granted refugee status will have their right to stay in the country reviewed every 30 months. Not only will this create hugely expensive bureaucracy, it will leave people in terrifying limbo, which will make it harder to work, rent, study or integrate into their new communities. Refugees will have to wait 20 years for settled status – making it impossible for people to start rebuilding their lives. This can be shortened for those who can work or study and pay a fee.
- ‘Fast track deportations’ and restricted appeals: People seeking asylum will only be allowed one appeal, and will face deportation if that fails. There will be a greater push to expand returns agreements and visa penalties for those countries that resist.
- Enforced removals of families with children: Families will have their support and accommodation taken from them if they do not comply with removals, something that was legislated for in the 2016 Immigration Act but then abandoned. The government has signalled that enforced removals to Syria and Albania are expected to begin soon.
- ‘High value items’ removed from sanctuary seekers: The possessions sanctuary seekers manage to bring with them from home will be reviewed, and could be removed from people to contribute to the costs of accommodation. People who’ve already lost homes, families and everything familiar could be stripped of what little they have – although the Home Office has now denied that ‘family heirlooms’ will be taken from people.
- Asylum support duty revoked: The statutory duty to provide asylum support, including accommodation, to those who would otherwise face destitution, is set to be revoked, meaning it could be denied to people. The reasons why support could be denied are; if people can work (having been granted permission to work by the Home Office) but don’t; if they work illegally; if people don’t comply with removal directions or if they commit crimes.
- Two-tier support system: Under these plans, while refugees would still have access to public funds, the Government has said it will consult on measures that could mean people have to meet additional requirements to receive and retain benefits – effectively making recognised refugees second-class citizens in the UK.
- Family reunion curbed: Making family reunion harder and more limited for most families, which will force more women and children to have to risk unsafe, irregular routes, or keep families apart for years.
- “Modest” new safe routes to be created: These will be based on community sponsorship, similar to the Homes For Ukraine Scheme. The government will create a new route for displaced students, and another for skilled refugees to work. The numbers of people accepted through such schemes would be capped.
- Vital human rights law under attack: Article 3 and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect people from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to family life will be reinterpreted. Legislation will also be brought forward to overhaul the Modern Slavery Act.
- Possible changes to working rights policies: “The government expects those who are arriving or returning to the UK to seek work. To encourage this, we are now exploring a change to taxpayer-funded benefits to prioritise access for those who are making an economic contribution to the UK. This could see additional criteria that migrants have to meet to receive benefits and actions they need to take in order not to lose them. A consultation on this question will take place in 2026.” This could signal the Government’s intentions to ease working restrictions on people seeking asylum – but in a manner that weaponises work and penalises those who do not or cannot work. The Lift the Ban coalition have published a statement on this here.
- Moving people to camps and barracks: In its efforts to close down hotels being used for emergency asylum accommodation, the Government has committed to “a move towards the use of large sites, including military sites”, having already announced new camps at Cameron Barracks in Inverness and Crowborough Training Camp in Sussex.
Here is the full published Policy Paper ‘Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy’
You can read GMIAU’s in-depth blog explainer here and our statement on this here.
TAKE ACTION:
- Petition calling on the Home Secretary not to seize jewellery, or scapegoat refugees and migrants with this policy.
Open letter to Home Secretary – Keep volunteering voluntary
More than 300 charities and voluntary organisations signed a letter to the Home Secretary warning her that they ‘cannot accept’ her proposal to make volunteering a condition of leave to remain in the UK for migrants and refugees. The letter was covered in The Guardian, and you can read the full copy on our website here.
Lift the Ban in the House of Lords and asylum reforms expected
At the Report Stage debate of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill in the House of Lords a range of Peers spoke up brilliantly for working rights at the Report Stage debate
Some brilliant speeches in support of lifting the ban were delivered by cross-party Lords. Whilst the Government did not agree to lifting the ban, they stated that they intend to set out reforms in this area. The campaign to Lift the Ban is gaining parliamentary momentum. Please share information about lifting the ban on social media. You can find new, unbranded videos, and a range of still social media graphics, to accompany posts, here.
2. Government and Parliamentary Updates
2024 Asylum support rates review report
The Home Office has finally published the report of the 2024 asylum support rate review, where support for those in self-catering remained the same at £49.18, and for those in hotels and barracks increased to £9.95. This is due to the amount of support deemed to be required to cover food costs was reduced, but travel costs were slightly increased. You can read the report here.
3. Reports and research
New Asylos Commentary & COI Report on Afghans associated with the former government and international forces
A Commentary on the UK Home Office’s Country Policy and Information Note: Afghanistan: Fear of the Taliban (V4.0 & V5.0) – this argues that country of origin information does not support a conclusive assessment that there is no general risk to former government officials, discusses the impact of limitations on reporting on access to information, and points to a selection of recent relevant sources.
A COI report: Afghanistan: the situation of individuals who worked for the former government, international forces, or the judiciary under the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004 – 2021) – this covers the situation of individuals who worked for the former government, international forces, or the judiciary under the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004 – 2021). The report shines a spotlight on persisting human rights violations affecting these profiles, despite the Taliban’s declared general amnesty.
You can download the commentary and the report here.
New RAMFEL report: Profiting from People – inside the UK’s asylum hotels
RAMFEL’s new report, Profiting from People: Inside the UK’s Asylum Hotels, draws on two years of RAMFEL’s work supporting people trapped in hotel accommodation, it shows the reality of people having to live in unsafe, degrading conditions. The report heavily relies on case studies from their own clients and excerpts of doctors’ notes where interventions were necessary because people’s health and wellbeing were at serious risk.
Together With Refugees on the economic case for a fair and humane asylum system
Together With Refugees has launched a new report in partnership with the Public and Commercial Services Union. The report sets out how inexcusable inefficiencies in the UK’s asylum system are inflating public costs, alongside the rarely told reality that refugees not only play a significant role in our communities but could make a vital financial contribution. You can read the report here.
4. Resources, events, jobs and training
Therapeutic videos for refugees and people seeking asylum
Solace is a therapeutic charity for refugees and asylum seekers. A couple of years ago they created some video resources to try and meet some of the challenges of high level of need and not enough capacity to provide support. There are 6 psychoeducation videos in multiple languages, along with many tools and techniques on topics such as coping with stress and tension, preparing for sleep, relaxation exercises, improving confidence, and more. To improve accessibility people can now complete this very short form Your Personal Self-Help Guide (RASP) – Fill out form to highlight which issues they struggle with most and they will receive a personalised response, sending the links to the most relevant videos for them. All the resources can be found here – Helpful resources for refugees and people seeking safety | Solace.
NACCOM Annual Survey 2025 data launch
On 4th December NACCOM is having a launch of the findings from their 2025 NACCOM Annual Survey – their yearly snapshot of the scale and impact of migrant destitution and homelessness, as reported by their UK-wide network of frontline services. They will also be highlighting the network’s key achievements over the past year, and how their collective work is making the case for, as well as informing, short and long-term systemic change through policy and practice. It’s on Thursday 4 December 2025, 10am – 11:30am (via Zoom). To reserve a place, please register via Eventbrite.
Right to Remain new legal update and online meeting on 26 November
Right to Remain have published this Legal Update; Breaking Down the Government’s New Asylum Proposals. In the blog, they have created a table to help explain what changes the Government is proposing, compared with the current laws. It is important to remember that these changes are ideas, and not law. As you look at the table, keep in mind that: 1) There is still a lot we don’t know. We don’t know when changes might start, who they will apply to, and whether they will affect people already in the UK (such as those waiting for a decision or already recognised as refugees). 2) The government has said that it has not yet decided many important details about how the proposed plans would actually work. This includes how the suggested plans could apply to children, including unaccompanied young people and families. 3) Some of these plans may never happen, or they may change in Parliament or be challenged in court.
Right to Remain will be running an online meeting on Wednesday 26 November, 11am – 12pm, on Zoom. During this session, we will hear from people who would be directly affected by these changes and discuss how we can show solidarity with them. They will also share what they currently know about the proposals and invite partner organisations to do the same. You can register here. The meeting is an opportunity to check in with each other and vent frustrations and concerns. Please share widely.
Jobs and opportunities:
- ATLEU new Rise and Lead Fellowship. This is a paid work opportunity for two people with lived experience of human trafficking/modern slavery and migration.
- IMIX are currently recruiting for a number of new trustees
5. What we’re reading, watching and listening to
- Shabana Mahmood is wrong, Zoe Gardiner writing in the New Statesman, giving her assessment of the ‘new’ asylum proposals announced this week.
