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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · 7d

Applications are now open for the next cohort of Compass: The Asylum Aid Advisor Development Programme!

This free programme offers 5 IAA Level 2 trainees in-depth training, shadowing opportunities, supervision & a peer support network.

Find out how to apply here: asylumaid.org.uk/what-we-do/c...

Compass: The Asylum Aid Advisor Development Programme | Asylum Aid

Image In England and Wales, 65% of the population lacks access to a legal aid provider for immigrat

asylumaid.org.uk

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · 20d

With 63 other expert orgs, we’ve written to the government to strongly oppose the reduction in the length of time newly-recognised refugees get to move on from asylum accommodation. This could leave thousands more refugees destitute & on the streets this winter.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Scrap policy that gives refugees with leave to remain 28 days to find housing, say UK groups

Halving time asylum seekers have to leave Home Office accommodation will make thousands homeless at time when ‘racist sentiment’ is on the rise

www.theguardian.com

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Sep 2

We cannot stress enough how harmful asylum hotels are — contrary to the perception that they are 'luxurious'. They must be closed urgently but not be replaced with crumbling, overcrowded & isolated large sites. 

Thanks @benchu.bsky.social for dispelling the myths around asylum hotels 👇

BBC Newsnight @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social · Aug 29

How many illegal immigrants are living in the UK?

Are they put up in ‘four star hotels’?

Are phones and iPads provided?

Following comments made by Rylan Clark, BBC Verify Policy Correspondent Ben Chu goes through the data and information for #Newsnight

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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · Aug 28

We have been witnessing the fear, sadness & disappointment among the people we support over the last few weeks.

The horrific attacks on asylum hotels are a direct outcome of the constant scapegoating of people seeking safety in our politics & the media. This must stop immediately.

Our response 👇

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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · Aug 22

📢 New vacancy: We're looking for a Legal Administrator and Training Programme Coordinator to provide vital casework support, manage files and administration for our teams and training programmes.

📍 Based in London
📅 Deadline: 5pm, 27th August

We’d love to hear from you. 👉 ow.ly/m6az50WISzR

Legal Administrator and Training Programme Coordinator | Asylum Aid

The Legal Administrator & Training Programme Coordinator combines two crucial roles with key responsibilities to support the Asylum Aid team.

ow.ly

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Aug 14

The plans to use facial recognition technology to assess the age of children seeking asylum are concerning, unless significant safeguards are put in place.

Replacing poor human decision making with inaccurate AI will not prevent children being put at risk.

www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2025...

UK plans to use AI to determine ages of child asylum seekers | The National

Britain wants to use technology as 'cost-effective' fix for problems in asylum system

www.thenationalnews.com

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jul 31

Thousands of families with children arrive in the UK every year to seek protection. But they are pushed into extreme poverty by the Home Office.

Two months ago, the government froze the rates of financial support given to people seeking asylum.

This has a devastating impact on children. 🧵

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Refugee Action @refugeeaction.bsky.social · Jul 29

"I did not come here seeking wealth or running from poverty. In fact, I had a stable life back in my country, Yemen.

"What forced me to leave was not economic hardship, but persecution and fear for my safety and the safety of my family."

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

‘Every human being deserves dignity’: asylum seeker in Essex hotel calls for understanding

Man housed at hotel targeted in protests writes letter urging people not to resort to harmful stereotypes

www.theguardian.com

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jul 30

Many survivors stay silent due to trauma, stigma & fear of retaliation. We must build trust, create safe reporting channels & remove barriers so they can seek help without fear.

On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we call for systems that protect & support survivors.

#EndHumanTrafficking

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Praxis, for migrants and refugees @praxisprojects.bsky.social · Jul 28

❓Did you know that hundreds of thousands of people are forced to wait over 10 years for the right to permanently settle in the place they already call home?

And it’s about to get worse. 🧵

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jul 22

🚨 We welcome the government's decision to scrap 'scientific methods' of assessing age of children seeking asylum. X-raying children to decide their age is inaccurate, expensive & potentially harmful.

But we remain concerned about the Home Office’s use of visual assessments & plans to use AI. 🧵👇

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jul 15

🚨 Thousands of trafficking survivors continue to be denied permission to stay in the UK despite their critical need for safety and support — a new report by @helenbamber.bsky.social, ATLEU & @ecpatuk.bsky.social reveals.

Instead survivors are left in fear and at risk of further exploitation. 🧵1/3

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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · Jul 11

🎧 Second episode of Lawmanity podcast featuring our Executive Director Alison Pickup just dropped! 📻

Listen in to this insightful conversation on securing justice for people seeking asylum and some career advice for aspiring human rights lawyers 👇

Lawmanity @lawmanity.com · Jul 11

🎤 New episode!🎤 This week, Alison Pickup of @asylumaid.bsky.social shares

⚖️ how the UK Govt doubled down on #Rwanda removals after losing in court
✊🏼 what must be done to secure justice for #refugees
🌻 wise advice for aspiring human rights #activists

🎧 Have a listen here: pnc.st/s/lawmanity

Lawmanity

Hosted by human rights lawyer, Jen Ang, the Lawmanity podcast asks big questions like: How does human rights law really work in practice? And how have activists used the law to create real social cha...

pnc.st

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jul 9

🚨 For the third year in a row, our data shows that HUNDREDS of child refugees, who come to the UK alone, are continuing to be incorrectly treated as adults after a visual assessment of age at the border.

They are placed with strangers in adult accommodation & even adult prisons. 1/2

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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · Jul 4

📻 Our Executive Director Alison Pickup speaks on Lawmanity podcast about Asylum Aid's vital role in successfully challenging the Conservative government's Rwanda plan.

Want to know more about went behind this critical legal challenge?

Listen in! 🎧 pnc.st/s/lawmanity

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jun 20

On #WorldRefugeeDay today, we celebrate the friendships, solidarity & joy among our clients, who attend our community groups every fortnight. They bond over shared experiences & fun activities & often inspire us with some extraordinary talent. 🌿🥗🎼🎨🧶

#RefugeeWeek 🧡

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jun 19

🚨 We found that, in the first half of 2024, over HALF of young people seeking asylum were initially assessed as adults by the Home Office but found to be children after being referred to local authorities – at least 262 children.

This cannot continue. 1/2

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Remove decisions on lone child asylum seekers from Home Office, report says

Call for root-and-branch reform of treatment of children, many of whom are wrongly classified as adults

www.theguardian.com

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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · Jun 16

This #RefugeeWeek, #OurSuperpower is resilience ✊🧡

The hostile environment that people seeking asylum in the UK experience takes a huge toll on their mental health. But the resilience and strength of our clients, many of whom continue to face tremendous hardship, inspire us every day.

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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · Jun 16

🚨 We need your support as our wonderful team goes on a 10 km walk w/ @londonlegal.bsky.social tomorrow to raise money for Asylum Aid! Please donate here so we can continue to help some of the most vulnerable people seeking protection in the UK 👇 🙏

londonlegalsupporttrust.enthuse.com/pf/asylum-ai...

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jun 16

Over the past 2 years, we've warned repeatedly that moving men seeking asylum in the UK to Wethersfield causes them profound & long-lasting harm.

Instead of closing the site urgently, the govt plans to extend its use — it's disgraceful.

We need #CommunitiesNotCamps

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Asylum sites to be expanded as ministers bid to end hotel use

Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged to stop using taxpayer-funded hotels to house asylum seekers by 2029.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · Jun 2

🚨 16p a day — that's how much the Home Office has increased the rate of asylum support for people in hotels. 😖 It hasn't raised self-catered support rate AT ALL.

This is after we provided detailed evidence of the abject poverty people seeking protection are forced to live in. It is disgraceful 🧵

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Helen Bamber Foundation 🧡 @helenbamber.bsky.social · May 29

This is a tragic story. Men, women & children who come to the UK to seek asylum are forced to live in squalid hotels, where they often encounter hostile & untrained staff — while private companies running these inhumane housing systems earn millions in profit.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Repeated failings at migrant hotel where asylum seeker killed himself exposed

Special report: Staff at hotel were ‘not appropriately trained’ and Home Office officials didn’t know who was providing crucial services

www.independent.co.uk

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Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards @lalyawards.bsky.social · May 21

Fantastic achievement! Congratulations from all at Team LALY 🥰

Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · May 21

🥳 We are thrilled to be shortlisted for the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards in TWO categories! 🙌

Asylum Aid is a finalist for the 'Legal Aid Firm/Not for Profit Agency' award and our wonderful solicitor Molly Nicolson is shortlisted in the 'Immigration & Asylum Law' category. 🎉

Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards @lalyawards.bsky.social · May 21

.@WeAreLAPG is proud to announce 📢 the 30 finalists in this year's Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards. For an insight into the doggedness 🐶& brilliance 🌟of lawyers at the social justice coalface, look no further than our #LALY25 shortlist.......
lapg.co.uk/lapg-announc...

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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · May 21

🥳 We are thrilled to be shortlisted for the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards in TWO categories! 🙌

Asylum Aid is a finalist for the 'Legal Aid Firm/Not for Profit Agency' award and our wonderful solicitor Molly Nicolson is shortlisted in the 'Immigration & Asylum Law' category. 🎉

Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards @lalyawards.bsky.social · May 21

.@WeAreLAPG is proud to announce 📢 the 30 finalists in this year's Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards. For an insight into the doggedness 🐶& brilliance 🌟of lawyers at the social justice coalface, look no further than our #LALY25 shortlist.......
lapg.co.uk/lapg-announc...

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Asylum Aid @asylumaid.bsky.social · May 20

With @antislavery.org and 31 other organisations and survivor groups, we have written to the government calling for an end to the hostile narrative towards migrants and regressive policies that drive exploitation and deny survivors rights, safety and justice:

www.antislavery.org/reports/open...

Open letter on the UK Immigration White Paper

Open letter condemning the hostile rhetoric from the UK Government and expressing concern at the policy on immigration announced in the White Paper.

www.antislavery.org

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