More about the need
Refugees and Asylum seekers: the UK and the world in 2024
The UNHCR reported record levels of forced displacement in 2024 with nearly 123 million people forced to flee their homes due to conflict and persecution by the end of June. Conflicts in Palestine, Sudan, Ukraine and DRC, to name just a few, fed into the numbers of people seeking safety.
​
The increase in global displacement is reflected in the UK picture, with 84,000 applications for asylum. At least 76 people died trying to cross the English Channel including a number of children. Despite the increase in applications, the backlog in the asylum system fell, but the percentage of grants of refugee status at first instance fell from around 75% in 2023, to just over 50%, and the backlog in the appeals system increased considerably.
​
This was a year of two halves in many ways, with a change of government following the general election in July. The few months of 2024 saw a continuation of refugee homelessness issues caused in part by the increases in grants of refugee status through the Streamlined Asylum Process at the end of 2023. London Councils reported finding 311 refugees sleeping rough in January following eviction from asylum support accommodation and found that overall rough sleeping among refugees and asylum seekers in London had increased by 234% in a four month period.
​
The Conservative government continued to move asylum seekers to the Bibby Stockholm despite concerns being raised by many organisations and by whistleblowers among the barge’s staff who said that the men were treated “like cattle”, and noted a sharp deterioration in the mental health of many of those held onboard.
​
The Safety of Rwanda Act 2024 came into force in April, essentially asserting that Rwanda was a “safe third country” and constraining the ability of the courts to otherwise, and disapplying the powers of the European Court of Human Rights to stop removals. The then Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, pledged in his election campaign that if he were re-elected, removals to Rwanda would commence immediately.
​
The incoming Labour government announced shortly after their election that no further people would be moved to the Bibby Stockholm and that the barge would be decommissioned. However, they have continued to house people at Wethersfield Asylum Centre, a former RAF airfield which has been described by locals as “Stalag Wethersfield” due to the poor conditions.
​
The new government swiftly introduced the Illegal Migration Act 2023 (Amendment) Regulations 2024, which abolished the duty on the Secretary of State to remove from the UK anyone who had entered the country illegally, and removed from the Illegal Migration Act the provisions which prevented any person who had entered illegally from ever obtaining any kind of leave in the UK, which had effectively prevented large numbers of asylum applications from being processed. The government also indicated their intention to repeal the Safety of Rwanda Act.
​
In November 2024 it was announced that from February 2025, those who had entered the UK under the various Ukrainian schemes would be able to apply for a further leave to remain in the UK. However, the extension will be for only 18 months and it was again asserted that the leave granted will not count towards settlement in the UK.
​
Towards the end of the year, the Home Office, as part of its transition from a physical system of immigration documents to an electronic system (known as the eVisa system) stopped issuing Biometric Residence Permits to people granted refugee status. The resultant issues in obtaining evidence of status which would enable people to find employment and accommodation, open bank accounts or claim welfare benefits, led in part to an announcement of a temporary extension of the move on period from asylum accommodation for newly-granted refugees from 28 days notice to 56 days notice for a trial period to be reviewed in June 2025. The move was broadly welcomed by refugee and homelessness organisations although calls continue to make the change permanent.
​
The government also announced late last year a consultation on increasing fees for legal aid in immigration and asylum matters. It is hoped that this may lead to action which will stop the haemorrhaging of legal aid representatives out of the asylum and immigration system which has led to over 50% of those in the asylum system being without legal representation for their application.
​
Despite some changes for the better, the asylum system is still rife with delays and a lack of adequate support which leaves applicants facing long waits for decisions in near destitution. This is a recipe for mental and physical health issues which are endemic among those seeking asylum. LCRF continues to support those organisations which seek to alleviate suffering and poverty among those seeking asylum and refugees, recognising that we are all beloved of God and should be treated as such.
Be informed, get involved
There are many sources of information out there, and many campaigning organisations that you may wish to support.
Some good starting places are the websites of the following organisations, where you will find much more information:
https://helprefugees.org - especially for the situation around Calais
https://detentionforum.org.uk - for information about immigration detention
or any of the national and local charities that we support through our grants programme - see the grants page for details.
Close this window to return to the homepage, or
