As we come to the end of the year, many of us will be spending time with family at home. Whether we’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or just taking some well-earned rest.
For those seeking safety, this isn’t an option. The Christmas break is like any other time of year – there’s no security and no respite. They remain in limbo.
Hostile government policies are isolating people seeking safety
Fleeing home to escape persecution and violence means leaving behind more than just a house. You lose your sense of belonging, community, and loved ones.
To start again in a new country, you need access to these same foundations to feel safe, and to find your new sense of what it means to be at home.
However, governments in the UK and in Greece are denying people on the move access to stability and connection. Instead, they’re prioritising far-right votes over humanity.
In the UK, new Home Office proposals will isolate people and keep them in a state of uncertainty. It’s impossible to feel safe and secure with the looming threat of possible deportation.
In Greece, new laws criminalise people whose asylum claims are refused, and threaten hefty fines if people are found to be undocumented. People on the move are living in constant fear and confusion.
For years, people seeking safety have been told that they need to integrate. But integration is impossible when cruel policies and laws are designed to shut you out.
During the festive season, when home is at the front of everyone’s mind, these barriers feel even more heartless.
Legal support is essential
When the law is used to push people around and strip people of their rights, legal support is crucial. It’s the key to fighting back.
Legal support can provide access to the essentials to make somewhere feel like home again: the security of legal status, housing, community, healthcare, and the chance to reunite with loved ones.
Even just knowing someone is on your side can make a huge difference.
At RLS, we provide vital legal support where people need it most. We go to places that others don’t.
1. On the ground
Our expert lawyers react quickly to policy announcements and changes, travelling to the places where people have almost no access to information.
- When the “one in, one out” scheme was announced, we were the first organisation on the ground in Northern France explaining what it meant for people on the border.
- In Greece, we visit refugee camps to provide legal information, outreach and engagement. These camps are in rural areas with limited or no access to other services or transport to Athens, so these visits are crucial. They help to prevent the spread of misinformation when new laws are brought in.
2. In communities
We work with communities to help them take back their power.
- We help communities have their voices heard. When the government dismissed the Afghan community’s fear as a data leak put their relatives in danger, we conducted a survey to record the lived experiences of those affected. The findings contributed to the Parliamentary call for evidence on the leak.
- We partner with local organisations to ensure people in under-served areas can access vital information. For people who live in Wethersfield asylum accommodation, our weekly workshops provide information about the asylum process and help them prepare for their interviews. This is often their only source of legal support.
3. In-depth legal support at every stage of the journey
We’ll protect the right to asylum for those who need it, including:
- New arrivals who have been thrown in jail for entering the UK
- People on the move trying to reunite with their loved ones
- Afghans who have been abandoned by the UK government
- People in Greece facing a dysfunctional asylum system
We need your help
As governments continue to target people on the move, our work is vital.
Without us, many people will be left to navigate the hostile asylum system alone, and struggle to rebuild their lives and their new homes.
As a grassroots organisation, our work is only possible thanks to donations from our friends and supporters.
We’re seeking to raise £8,000 so that we can continue providing this vital support in 2026.
- £25 could help us provide post-release support for someone who was thrown in jail when they arrived in the UK
- £50 could help us to visit a refugee camp to bring legal information to people who urgently need it
- £100 could help us prepare someone for their asylum interview
If you can, please support our campaign.
Everyone should be able to spend the festive period with their loved ones, in a place they can call home.
