Miguel* is from South America. In this article, he describes his experience in the asylum system and his views on what needs to change.   My family has been stuck in the UK’s disastrous and inefficient asylum system for four years. The four of us – me, my wife and two children – have all shared one room for the majority of that time. My children ask me: why can’t we stay in a normal place like other families? The government suggests hostile policies – like the barge, or sending people to Rwanda – that are not real solutions to the crisis. I didn’t want to seek asylum in the UK. My famil ..read more

Responding to the Home Office’s quarterly immigration statistics released this morning, Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said: “The fact that the most recent data reveals that eight out of ten people were permitted to stay in the UK as refugees shows that those seeking safety on our shores are in genuine need of protection, having faced unimaginable atrocities including torture, sexual coercion, slavery and exploitation. Instead of pushing ahead with the Rwanda plan that will mean refugees will be forcibly shipped across the globe and treated like human cargo, we should be welcoming ..read more

At the Refugee Council, our work includes supporting refugee children who have been forced to flee war, violence or persecution. Many are separated from their families. Among them, every year, hundreds of refugee children are wrongly placed in the adult system due to incorrect assumptions about their age. They end up in adult hotels (and sometimes in detention), frightened, neglected, and risking exploitation and abuse. Correcting their ages can be a lengthy process, leaving them without the necessary support and education all young people require. These young people have traveled from countri ..read more

Responding to the Supreme Court’s ruling on Rwanda, Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said: “This is a victory for the rights of men, women and children who simply want to be safe. Every day at the Refugee Council we work with people who have fled from bombs and bullets in war-ravaged countries such as Sudan and Syria, children and families who’ve fled death threats and persecution in Afghanistan and women who’ve escaped the clutches of the oppressive regime in Iran. They have been highly distressed, anxious, and traumatised about the prospect of being shipped as though they are huma ..read more

Ramy* (name changed to protect identity) is a Palestinian human rights advocate who is currently seeking asylum in the UK. He volunteers for the Refugee Council, providing guidance and support to others in the asylum system. He shares his thoughts about the current situation in Gaza.   The situation in Gaza right now is truly horrific. As a Palestinian living in the UK, I find it so painful to watch this humanitarian crisis unfold from a distance. As humans, we never want to witness such suffering and loss of life, regardless of who it affects. The events are extremely challenging for me ..read more

Too many young people under the age of 18, who arrive in the UK alone, are being put at risk in adult hotels – because they are not believed about their age. Some of the teenagers we work with have been speaking about their experiences. These young people have traveled from Afghanistan, Sudan or Eritrea – some of the most dangerous countries in the world right now. They’ve made desperate and traumatic journeys in the hope of reaching safety. We’d like to see them treated fairly when they arrive. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as Passali* from Afghanistan explains: When I arrived ..read more

UK refugee charities today call on the Government to be ready to put in place emergency pathways for those seeking refuge from the conflict in the Middle East. The deepening crisis in Israel and Palestine has already cost thousands of lives and is exacerbating an already desperate Palestinian refugee crisis in the region. Organisations including the Refugee Council, Safe Passage International, Doctors of the World, Helen Bamber Foundation and City of Sanctuary are supporting the call for a co-ordinated and emergency response to the plight of those having to flee their homes. They urge the UK G ..read more

I miss my Mum so much and am so worried about her, about the situation she is in, it is so hard and I feel so sad. When I speak with her she is crying all the time. I can’t forget the times I had with her. I also miss my Dad and all my brothers and my sisters. I never know whether they are OK. Wasim last saw his parents two years ago, when they were separated by a bomb blast at the airport in Kabul. Wasim, who was carrying his baby cousin, was hurried onto a flight with his uncle, but his parents and siblings didn’t make it through the crowds. Many Afghans in the UK – including children like ..read more

Today, we published a short guide on accessing apprenticeships in England for refugees and people in the asylum system. Apprenticeships are structured programmes that help people learn practical skills while earning a wage. They can provide a direct path to work and help people bridge the gap between education and the job market. Although apprenticeships usually have a rule requiring applicants to have resided in the UK for at least three years, our guide highlights that there are exemptions for people with specific immigration statuses, such as those with refugee status or people who are in t ..read more

Nearly three quarters (74%) of Channel crossings so far in 2023 are refugees who would be granted asylum if claims were processed  Apart from Albanians, the number of people crossing the Channel is higher in 2023 compared to 2022.  Once the Illegal Migration Act is in force, as few as 3.5% of arrivals will be removed from the UK to their own country  A new report by the Refugee Council reveals that three out of four people crossing the English Channel in small boats so far this year are refugees who would be granted asylum if their claims were processed. This is an increase fr ..read more