People seeking sanctuary in the UK face significant challenges during their asylum process. Over half of the people seeking asylum are unable to find legal aid lawyers, and many face difficult living conditions.

RLS’s Basma Kamel has written an update on how we’re ensuring people on the move are informed about their legal options. 

A letter from Basma

Francesca and I work on the UK/France border and with people who have newly arrived in the UK. 

Many people seeking sanctuary in the UK are currently being accommodated in the former military base, Wethersfield. They have no access to social and legal services, including legal information. 

As an example of our work, we recently delivered a workshop in Braintree. This was created for people seeking asylum who live in Wethersfield. 

We focused on: 

• The procedures of the asylum process in the UK, specifically the substantive interview questions that asylum seekers must prepare for. We highlighted the importance of articulating personal narratives and reasons for leaving their home countries. 
• The definition of a refugee, and the difference of refugee status and humanitarian protection and family reunion. 

We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. Many expressed their interest in the RLS team returning to deliver more sessions about essential rights and resources available to asylum seekers in the UK. 

Topics of interest also included healthcare access, educational opportunities, and the processes involved in family reunion. 

This eagerness for more information shows a clear need for ongoing support and education within this community.

This session was the first workshop we’ve held at the Braintree Drop-in. We’ll now be holding monthly sessions following the positive feedback from attendees. This will provide a platform for continuous support for people seeking asylum in the UK. 

Basma’s letter highlights the importance of our work. 

Without workshops like this, delivered in partnership with other grassroots organisations, many people seeking safety wouldn't be able to access legal support