This document provides an overview and agenda for a volunteer training on assisting asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. It begins with introductions and then covers topics like definitions of key terms, common misconceptions about asylum seekers, statistics on asylum applications and refugee resettlement in the UK, the asylum application journey process, types of protection status, and access to services for asylum seekers and refugees. The training aims to inform volunteers about the realities of the asylum system and needs of those seeking protection in the UK.

1. LASSN Volunteer Training
WELCOME

2. Introductions
• Name
• What are volunteering for
• Why did you get involved
• One obscure/interesting fact about
yourself

3. Morning
• Introductions
• The Asylum
journey
• Questions
Agenda
Afternoon
• English at Home

4. Housekeeping and ground rules

5. What do people believe?
… we are being flooded
… everyone comes for the benefits
… everyone is bogus
… asylum seekers are terrorist & criminals
… the UK is the number one destination
for asylum seekers

6. What do we believe?
• People are mis-informed
• Informed people are sympathetic
• Informed people are supportive
• Informed people are generous

7. Where do refugees come from? 2012

8. How many people do you think
claim asylum in the UK each year?
• Around 5,000 6%
• Around 25,000 23% Actual
• Around 100,000 31%
• Around 200,000 23%
• More than 500,000 18%

9. Where do refugees go? 2012

10. Definitions
• Asylum Seeker – Someone who is fleeing
persecution and has arrived in another country
exercising their right to claim asylum
• Refugee – Someone whose application has been
successful and they are given the right to remain in
the country they have sought asylum in
• Refused asylum seeker – some whose claim has
been refused and currently does not have an
outstanding case
• Economic Migrant – Someone who has chosen to
travel to another country to seek employment

11. Definition of a refugee
• A refugee is as a person who has fled
… due to a well-founded fear of
persecution for reasons of
– race
– religion
– nationality
– membership of a particular social group
– or political opinion
Article 1, The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

12. Different types of refugee
protection
• Refugee status
– falls within the 1951 Convention definition
– given 5 years to remain - extension or revocation after this
– Prior to 2005 people were given Indefinite Leave to Remain
• Humanitarian Protection (HP)/ Discretionary Leave
– does not meet the 1951 Convention definition
– But to return the person would violate the UK’s obligations
under the Human Rights Act 1998, particularly article 3
(torture and inhuman and degrading treatment) or if the
return would be unlawful or inappropriate
– Granted for up to 3 years (although after this period it may
be reviewed as to whether further protection is required).

13. Migration in the UK – 2012
Source:Migration Statistics Quarterly Report August 2012 | 30 August 2012
Population in mid 2012 = 63,700,000
asylum seekers
27,978 (incl dependants)
Arrivals
into the UK
497,000
Departures
from the UK
321,000
Net
migration
176,000

14. Asylum applications to the UK
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

15. Asylum in the UK 2012
Source: Home Office, immigration statistics
21,843
New claims for
Asylum in the UK
5,974
Granted leave to remain
in UK
Refugees through
resettlement programme
750

16. Asylum
journey in
the UK

17. Asylum Support
• UKBA supports adults and families
• accommodation (inclusive of bills)
• weekly cash support (section 95)
• Local authority supports unaccompanied children

18. Detention
All asylum seeking adults and families are
“Liable to be detained”
• There is no statutory limit to the length of immigration
detention
• The decision to detain is made by an immigration
officer or a case owner and is not automatically
subject to independent review at any stage
• The coalition government committed to ending the
detention of children. At present they are running
immigration removal pilots into alternatives

19. Asylum journey in the UK

20. Section 4 support
1. Taking all reasonable steps to leave the UK
2. Unable to leave the UK by reason of a physical
impediment to travel or for some other medical
reason, e.g. late stage of pregnancy
3. Unable to leave the UK because there is no viable
route of return available
4. Have made an application for judicial review of a
decision in relation to their asylum claim.
5. Require support in order to avoid a breach of a
person’s rights under the European Convention on
Human Rights, e.g. submitted a fresh claim

21. Section 4 support
• Accommodation (including bills)
• £35.39 credited each week to the Azure card
• NO CASH
• Additional credits available for small children
& pregnant women

22. Destitution
• Refugees
• Refused asylum seekers, cannot get
section 4 or social services support
• Cannot return to their home country
• Cannot get travel documents
• Stateless – no country will accept them
• UK Government policy

23. Access to healthcare, Aug 2011
Refugee
– access to all health care, same as any other resident
Asylum seekers, refused asylum seekers appealing or on section 4, people who have
been trafficked
– entitled to register with a GP (at GP discretion) and to receive free NHS hospital
treatment
– exempt from charges for health care and prescriptions – need UKBA certificate HC2
Refused Asylum Seeker
– Treatment already underway is completed free of charge
– Prescriptions – need low income certificate HC1
– Other treatment will be charged
Services free services to all
– Accident and emergency
– Family planning
– Certain diseases (TB, Measles, pandemic flu)
– Treatment for sexually transmitted diseases
– HIV/AIDS treatment now free
– Mental health treatment under court order

24. Legal Advice
Asylum seekers are entitled to FREE
legal representation from:
• A solicitor, or
• An adviser who is officially regulated by the
Office of the Immigration Services
Commissioner (OISC)

25. Any questions