Why we support charities working with refugees and asylum seekers

We focus our support on small and local charities because we know that these charities are distinctive in what they do, how they do it and where they do it. This distinctiveness is what leads small charities to deliver high levels of value for individuals, the economy and communities.

This also means that these charities are best placed to shape the world around them by sharing the knowledge and insight they have through engaging in public debates to inform and change public opinion, behaviour and government policy.

Under charity law, charities are free to influence policy and practice by speaking out on matters that impact people’s lives, challenging government policy and participating in public debates. This is an important way in which charities can further their charitable purposes. More information on this can be found on the Charity Commission website here. 

Refugees and asylum seekers

One of the issues we focus on is around refugees and asylum seekers. As is the case across the range of issues we fund, people seeking asylum or those who have been granted refugee status face significant challenges in our society that impact their health and life chances.

People fleeing persecution and war face marginalisation and criminalisation when they arrive in this country; they often receive inappropriate, poor, or no support which further traumatises them or results in high levels of destitution, mental ill health, and increased homelessness.

According to the UNHCR, at the end of 2021 nearly 90 million people were forced to flee their homes because of conflict or persecution. In the same year, the UK received just 48,540 asylum applications whereas 85% of people forced to flee their country are hosted in developing countries. Of the asylum claims the UK does receive, three out of four of them are granted protection and of those that are refused, half are overturned on appeal. Yet, these decisions can take years with the majority of people waiting more than 6 months. And the backlog is still growing. During this uncertainty, people seeking asylum are not allowed to work and instead are given less than £6 a day to survive.

Our funding

We fund charities that provide a range of support to people seeking asylum or those who have recently been granted refugee status. From important and necessary legal advice to help them understand their rights and how to navigate the complex asylum process to mental health support for people who have experienced trauma, abuse and exploitation as well as campaigning for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees.

The charities we fund which provide legal advice have or are working towards OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner) accreditation, which means that these charities can provide immigration advice. With this accreditation, these charities are regulated by the OISC and follow their Code of Standards.

We stand with these charities in our support for refugees and asylum seekers and will do what we can to ensure that through our core funding and capacity building programmes, these charities are supported to do their important work.