Advice lines

OLTAS Own Language Telephone Advice Service

Call 0808 808 2255 or 0808 808 2259 (text phone) and follow the instructions to select the language required.

We will give advice, information and support over the telephone or, if necessary, book face to face appointments for one of our offices in London, West Midlands, East of England and Yorkshire and Humberside.

To speak directly to an adviser dial 0808 808 2255 and choose a language by pressing:

1 - Kurdish
2 - Farsi
3 - Mandarin
4 - Pashtu
5 - Arabic
6 - Tigrignia
7 - Somali
8 - Tamil
0 - English

If you do not speak any of the above languages, you will have the option to speak to an adviser in English who will call you back using an interpreter or bilingual adviser. We will be reviewing languages provided on a regular basis.

We will be unable to see refugees and asylum seekers in our offices who have not made an appointment through the telephone service.

Opening hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: 9.30am – 1pm and 2pm - 4.30pm
Wednesdays: 2pm - 5pm

Calls from landline numbers and the main six UK mobile phone networks 3, Orange, Virgin, Vodafone, T-Mobile & O2 are absolutely free. You do not need any credit on your phone to contact us.

Download a leaflet about OLTAS telephone advice service (PDF)

Children's Panel advice line

0808 808 0500 (free to call - for clients)
0207 346 1134 (agencies and other enquiries)
children@refugeecouncil.org.uk email enquiries

Open Mondays to Fridays: 9.30am – 5.30pm

Other Refugee Council contacts

For general enquiries please contact our switchboard: 020 7346 6700