REFUGEES AND PEOPLE SEEKING ASYLUM

Our advocacy work responds to the need of people we support every day. Our society has over 200 volunteer groups who support refugees and people seeking asylum, in addition to our St Vincent's centres in Leeds and Bradford, who provide excellent frontline advice and support to migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum. From providing practical support and ESOL classes to advice and advocacy, to leading on community events and initiatives to promote inclusion and integration we have decades of experience in this area. Many of the people we support everyday struggle to meet basic living standards, face destitution and homelessness, and can be very isolated. While our Society responds to immediate need and support people facing challenges every day, we also understand the importance of challenging policies and systems at the root causes of poverty and discrimination. This is why advocacy and influencing are a key part of our work.Pope Francis has spoken many times about the importance of helping and welcoming migrants and refugees. The SVP is in the unique position of being able to meaningfully contribute to campaigns on this topic given its frontline experience in supporting refugees and migrants. Alongside image of vatican
OUR POLICY ASKS
  • Re-introduce the right to seek asylum: Under the current law, most people seeking asylum in the UK will be prevented from making their claim. We have opposed the Illegal Migration Act, and the Nationality and Borders Act and called for more compassion in the asylum system. We want to see the right to seek asylum being re-instated. 
  • Lift the Ban: We are calling on the Government to give people seeking asylum the right to work. 
  • Help refugees avoid homelessness: Recent changes in policy mean that people who are given refugee status, have only 7 days to find accommodation, or they might be made homeless. We want to see this policy reversed so that refugees have a minimum of 56 days to find accommodation. This will allow newly recognised refugees to find suitable accommodation so they can rebuild their lives. 
CAMPAIGNS

Lift the Ban: We support the campaign to give people seeking asylum the right to work. Under the current system, people seeking refugee status are banned from working while they wait months, sometimes years, for a decision on their asylum claim. We are calling on the Government to give people seeking asylum the right to work, to help them earn a living, use their skills and knowledge, and eel part of their community. 

Compassion in the asylum system: We work with other faith groups to call for an asylum system based on compassion and dignity. Watch our CEO speak alongside other faith leaders:

RESOURCES AND BRIEFINGS

View: Reflections and recommendations on resettlement: The SVP’s work welcoming Afghans. 

View: Policy briefing on the use of temporary asylum accommodation. 

View: SVP Fact sheet: Migrant, refugees and asylum seekers.

View: SVP and Jesuit Refugee Service policy briefing: 8 things you should know about the Nationality and Borders Bill. 

View: SVP Policy briefing: The UK’s Afghan Resettlement Schemes.

INSIGHTS AND EVIDENCE