We're waiting to see guidance that will implement changes to Immigration Rules which, in our view, represent a substantial shift in asylum procedure & one which should have been subject to consultation & parliamentary scrutiny @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social @helenbamber.org tinyurl.com/2m6mjxj8

Lords committee draws latest immigration rule changes to House’s attention over ‘minor’ asylum interview reforms

Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee says Home Office failed to adequately explain new 'merged registration' interview

ein.org.uk

AI cannot account for how trauma, malnutrition & exhaustion affect young people fleeing conflict. AI can replicate human errors & racial bias. The result? Children can be placed in adult accommodation, detention or prison. They need protection, not more harm. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

AI tool will lead to more child refugees being treated as adults, charity warns

‘Racist bias’ overestimating ages in Home Office’s facial-recognition software will lead to solo children being housed with adults, says Human Rights Network

theguardian.com

75 years after the Refugee Convention was opened for signature on 28 July 1951, it remains the foundation of the international refugee protection system and one of the most consequential international legal instruments ever adopted.

It shouldn't require legal action to establish the democratic value of consultation but our recent High Court victory, concerning allocation of asylum accommodation, has done just that @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social @helenbamber.org www.civilsociety.co.uk/voices/our-h...

‘Our High Court victory shows the Civil Society Covenant must be more than words’

Freedom from Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation reflect on a recent ruling, which found the Home Office did not sufficiently consult them on policy changes…

civilsociety.co.uk

Our recent High Court victory sends a clear message that consultation with civil society is fundamental to good policymaking. The new government must work with experts & people with lived experience to build lawful, evidence-based policies. Our joint op-ed with @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social 👇

‘Our High Court victory shows the Civil Society Covenant must be more than words’

Freedom from Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation reflect on a recent ruling, which found the Home Office did not sufficiently consult them on policy changes…

civilsociety.co.uk

It's right that ending homelessness is a priority. But that commitment must extend to migrants, including people seeking safety, who are too often pushed into homelessness by asylum & immigration systems. We see this daily through our work. It's time for change. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Burnham pledges to end rough sleeping in England in first speech as prime minister

Additional £340m over three years allocated to get people off the streets ‘at the earliest opportunity’

theguardian.com

For too long, divisive politics & dehumanising policies have shaped the debate on asylum, unfairly blaming refugees for wider challenges. Together with 200+ charities, we're calling on the new Prime Minister to reject division & instead uphold dignity, humanity and hope for people seeking safety.

The new Immigration & Asylum Bill will significantly weaken the UK's response to trafficking & modern slavery. As John McDonnell MP (@johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social) explained in yesterday's debate, it will punish survivors by forcing them to disclose traumatic experiences within arbitrary deadlines.

The UK has introduced immigration or asylum legislation almost every year over the past decade. Yet people still wait years for asylum decisions, poor outcomes are routinely overturned on appeal & too many trafficking survivors aren't identified or supported. Today MPs will debate YET another bill 🧵

🔴 Mass asylum camps are a healthcare violation. For a year we ran a clinic at Wethersfield ex-military site, treating men seeking safety. 68% were survivors of violence. 62% had severe mental distress. 30% suicidal. The Home Office MUST #CloseTheCamps & scrap ALL plans to open more.

These are challenging & increasingly hostile times for charities supporting people seeking safety. It doesn't have to be this way. Your generosity helps us stand alongside survivors of trafficking, torture & persecution. To help, visit our website to find out how. news.sky.com/story/staff-...

Staff at 'thousands of charities' threatened and intimidated for 'doing their jobs'

The Charity Commission surveyed nearly 3,000 charity trustees, and over a quarter said they had been affected by a "challenging social environment"

news.sky.com

Shutting people seeking sanctuary in ex-military barracks is dangerous, traumatising and cruel. And every night in barracks costs over FIVE TIMES more than a night in a home in a community. So can anyone explain why the Government wants to open MORE camps?

You cannot address human trafficking without supporting & protecting survivors. The government's new Immigration & Asylum Bill does the opposite. A system that punishes survivors doesn't fight trafficking but enables it. We will keep fighting this. 📑 more: www.helenbamber.org/resources/la...

This proposal is simply more performative cruelty from the government. Once again, we have an announcement without the detail or a credible plan to tackle chronic delays in the asylum system - the real reason people spend years in asylum accommodation. 🧵 www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Asylum seekers to pay £10,000 towards living costs under new UK law

Means-tested scheme included in immigration and asylum bill condemned by charities for placing tax on refugees

theguardian.com

We're appalled. For YEARS, our clinical evidence has shown that ex-military asylum sites like RAF Wethersfield cause serious and long-lasting harm. Yet, the government plans to open even more. People seeking protection deserve safety, not further trauma. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Home Office eyes up three more military sites to house thousands of asylum seekers

Former military bases, Bicester, Barnham and Linton-on-Ouse, singled out for asylum seeker housing

independent.co.uk

We are witnessing the biggest attack on refugee protection in decades. Asylum Aid is fighting back in court but they need your support to challenge these harmful changes & defend refugees' rights. Donate and stand with refugees: www.crowdjustice.com/case/fight-t...

Fight the attacks on refugee protection

Asylum Aid protects people fleeing persecution by delivering life-saving legal advice and representation built on trust and dignity with our team of highly qualified caseworkers and lawyers.

crowdjustice.com

Asylum Aid@asylumaid.org.uk · last mo.

We are facing the greatest challenge to refugee protection in decades. Their rights in the UK are being steadily eroded, with the government reducing the length of refugee leave from five years to just two & a half years. 🚨 We are challenging this in court. 🧵 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

"....the decision is likely to be one of the most important public law judgments on asylum accommodation policy in recent years." An excellent write-up of @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social and @helenbamber.bsky.social recent win: freemovement.org.uk/home-office-unlawfully-removed-protections/

Home Office unlawfully removed asylum accommodation protections for torture and trafficking survivors - Free Movement

The High Court has ruled that the Home Office acted unlawfully when it removed long-standing accommodation protections for survivors of torture, trafficking

freemovement.org.uk

This #RefugeeWeek we stand with people seeking protection in the UK🧡 The theme this year is 'courage' and at Helen Bamber Foundation, we will keep fighting for the rights of refugees, people seeking asylum, survivors of trafficking and torture. #Courage

Racist violence on our streets doesn't appear from nowhere. When our leaders refuse to stand up for sanctuary and migration, when they let social media companies profit from division, they put people in danger. Our communities must come together in solidarity - and demand better from our leaders.

No tragedy should be exploited to justify racist violence. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home and neighbourhood. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by Monday's horrific stabbing, and with the migrant, refugee and minoritised communities targeted by the subsequent violence in Belfast.

The racist attacks in Belfast are a direct outcome of the constant vilification & scapegoating of refugees & migrants in our politics & the media. After the far-right riots of the last two summers, survivors of torture and trafficking, including those we support, are more terrified than ever.

Proud to join the #LondonLegalWalk supporting access to justice. For 35+ years, Asylum Aid has supported some of the most vulnerable people seeking safety in the UK but the demand for our service is greater than ever. If you can, please donate: londonlegalsupporttrust.enthuse.com/pf/asylum-ai...

The High Court has found the Home Office acted unlawfully in scrapping accommodation protections for survivors of torture and trafficking — no consultation with specialists, no proper equality assessment, no investigation into consequences. A significant ruling covered in our latest piece by…

Home Office unlawfully removed asylum accommodation protections for torture and trafficking survivors - Free Movement

The High Court has ruled that the Home Office acted unlawfully when it removed long-standing accommodation protections for survivors of torture, trafficking

freemovement.org.uk

The Public Accounts Committee report today confirms what we see every day: the UK asylum system is inefficient, costly & is failing the people it is meant to protect. The findings confirm a system characterised by poor decision-making, chronic delays and a lack of coherent strategy for reform. 🧵

We're alarmed by the government’s proposed asylum support reforms & their impact on stateless people, who are already disproportionately trapped in destitution & legal limbo. Read our joint statement w/ @jrsuk.bsky.social @enstatelessness.bsky.social & others: www.asylumaid.org.uk/resources/jo...

High-quality medical evidence is an integral part of a fair & functioning asylum & immigration system. Now, more than ever, it's vital that trust in the integrity of medical expertise isn't eroded. Our latest piece explores why trust in medical evidence matters. www.helenbamber.org/resources/re...

Experts working with children are deeply concerned by these proposals. AI cannot account for how trauma, malnutrition & exhaustion affect young people fleeing conflict & persecution. Evidence shows AI can replicate human bias & errors. Child refugees need protection, not to be put at further risk.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 2mo ago

Charities decry UK plan to use AI to assess age of young asylum seekers

Our clients, @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social and @helenbamber.bsky.social, challenged the Home Office’s recent changes to the rules on asylum accommodation. The Court found that the Home Office acted unlawfully. See: www.dpglaw.co.uk/news/governm...

Government’s allocation of asylum accommodation policy is unlawful – court rules - DPG Law

The High Court has delivered a judgment that could have a major impact on how the UK government treats some of the most vulnerable asylum seekers.

dpglaw.co.uk

🚨 UNLAWFUL asylum accommodation policy ignored risks to torture survivors, court finds 🚨 Forcing survivors to share rooms with strangers does huge harm. It's vital these vulnerable groups are protected. But the reality is, no one seeking safety should be housed barracks or converted hotels. 🧵

This is deeply concerning. AI cannot account for how trauma, malnutrition & exhaustion from conflict & dangerous journeys can alter a young person’s appearance. Evidence also shows AI shares the same biases & inaccuracies as humans, putting children at risk. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Controversial AI facial age checks to be used on migrants at UK border

Plans to use AI to assess migrants’ age labelled ‘deeply concerning’

independent.co.uk