Briefings

This page contains parliamentary and information briefings produced by the Refugee Council. Parliamentary briefings are used to inform and persuade MPs, Peers and other stakeholders on issues relating to asylum-seekers and refugees. Information briefings form part of a wider lobbying strategy to influence legislation and policy-making in the UK.

2010

Unaccompanied children

Refugee Council briefing on recent developments relating to the plans to return unaccompanied children to Afghanistan [August 2010]

Settlement protection

Settlement Protection: five year reviews and indefinite leave to remain – a briefing for advisers [August 2010]

Section 4 Payment Card

Asylum Support Partnership briefing on the Section 4 support payment card introduced by UKBA [May 2010]

Rape and sexual violence: the experiences of refugee women in the UK

Reforming asylum support: effective support for those with protection needs

Chance or choice? Understanding why asylum seekers come the UK

Refugee Council summary draft response to the UKBA consultation Reforming asylum support: effective support for those with protection needs

ESOL funding

Short guide for advisers on access to further education [August 2009]

2009

Refugee Council response to the UK Border Agency consultation on charging for immigration and visa applications

Change to the way UKBA registers in-country asylum applications and further submissions on asylum claims.

Case resolution - Changes to Enforcement Guidance and Instructions

Refugee Council briefing on UKBA changes to guidance used by caseworkers for considering legacy cases [October 2009]

The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009

Refugee Council briefing on the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act [September 2009]

Case resolution

Refugee Council briefing on Case Resolution [Updated September 2009]

Refugee employment

Job Centre Plus and Refugee Council: joint communiqué on working in partnership [August 2009]

Fresh claims and entitlement to work

Refugee Council briefing on court decisions on entitlement to work for asylum seekers [August 2009]

Borders, citizenship and immigration

Joint Parliamentary Briefing from the Refugee Council, the Scottish Refugee Council and the Welsh Refugee Council: Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill 2009 [May 09]

Borders, citizenship and immigration

Joint Parliamentary briefing on Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL] [February 2009]

2008

Zimbabwe

Court recognises deterioration of situation in Zimbabwe: “RN (Returnees) Zimbabwe CG [2008] UKAIT 00083” [November 2008]

Immigration and Citizenship

Refugee Council briefing on the Draft (partial) Immigration and Citizenship Bill 2008 [September 2008]

Refugee Protection

The UK’s role in the international refugee protection system [July 2008]

Higher education guidance

Short guide for advisers on access to higher education and template letter for requesting home fees [August 2009]

ESOL courses

Advice for people considering ESOL with Citizenship Context course – check the course is valid before you pay [March 2008]

2007

'Operation Clannebor'

The project for families whose asylum claims have been refused [December 2007]

Case resolution and unaccompanied children

Refugee Children's Consortium's briefing on case resolution on asylum applications made by unaccompanied children and young people seeking asylum [December 2007]

Zimbabwean asylum cases

Update on the situation of Zimbabwean asylum seekers [December 2007]

Special Immigration Status

Refugee council briefing on 'Special Immigration Status' for foreign criminals and their dependants [October 2007]

Unaccompanied children

Determining the duty to look after unaccompanied children under the Children Act 1989 (use of section 17 or section 20) [August 2007]

New asylum model (NAM)

Overview and implications of the Government's new asylum model [August 2007]

Right to work

Social Exclusion, Refugee Integration, and the Right to Work for Asylum Seekers [July 2007]

'Delays in processing asylum claims can be unlawful'

This briefing outlines a recent Court of Appeal ruling on an asylum claim affected by delays in processing it [July 2007]

Access to finance

A briefing paper on how to access bank accounts and credit for business start up [March 07]

UK borders

Parliamentary briefing on UK Borders Bill [March 2007]

2006

Permission to work

Applying for permission to work while claiming asylum [August 2009]

Unaccompanied children

Unaccompanied Children and the Dublin II regulation [November 2006]

Asylum claims

Court of Appeal case on the scrutiny of fresh asylum claims (WM (DRC) v SSHD) [November 2006]

Section 2

Possible right of appeal for convictions for failure to produce documents under Section 2 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 [October 2006]

UK country report

UK Country Report for 2005 for European Council on Refugee and Exiles [August 2006]

Trafficking in persons

Refugee Council’s policy position on people trafficking, including recommendations [May 06]

Clause 43 - use of vouchers

Parliamentary Briefing on Immigration, Asylum & Nationality Bill Clause 43 - Asylum Support (Vouchers) [Mar 2006]

IAN Act 2006

Briefing on Immigration, Asylum & Nationality (IAN) Bill [Jan 2006]

Counter terror clauses

Parliamentary Briefing on Immigration, Asylum & Nationality Bill Counter Terror Clauses [Jan 2006]

2005

Government 5-year plan

The Government's Five Year Plan for Asylum and Immigration [February 2005]

Update on 2004 Act

Asylum and Immigration Act 2004: An Update [March 2005]

ILR and Iraq

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) entitlement for some Iraqi asylum seekers [August 2005]

Iraq and Section 4

Iraq - return and Section 4 support [December 2005]

2004

Asylum and Immigration Bill 2003

Asylum and Immigration Bill 2003: Key issues and concerns [January 2004]

Healthcare

Changes to healthcare charges for asylum seekers [March 2004]

European asylum system

Briefing on the common European asylum system (CEAS) [March 2004]

EU accession countries

Update on asylum seekers and the new EU accession countries [June 2004]

Section 55 support

Applying for NASS support under Section 55: updated briefing [July 2004]

Asylum and Immigration Act 2004

Asylum and Immigration Act 2004: main changes and issues of concern [September 2004]

Gateway: family reunion

Gateway Protection Programme: Family reunion rights for resettled refugees [September 2004]

Gateway: resettlement

The Gateway Protection Programme: refugee resettlement in the UK [October 2004]

Asylum-seeking families

One-off Government asylum case-clearing exercise for asylum-seeking families (family concession) [October 2004]

Section 4 support

Applying for Section 4 (hard case) support to the National Asylum Support Service [June 2004]

2003

Asylum and terrorism

Asylum and terrorism: the facts [January 2003]

Withdrawal: in-country support (1)

Update: withdrawal of in-country support - (updated briefing in light of Court of Appeal judgment)[April 2003]

Refugee protection

The UK government's 'new vision' of refugee protection: a summary [June 2003]

Changes to publicly funded work

Proposed changes to publicly funded immigration and asylum work [July 2003]

Health services

Health services for asylum seekers and refugees [August 2003]

Withdrawal: in-country support (2)

Update: withdrawal of in-country asylum support [October 2003]

Emergency accommodation

Update on changes to Refugee Council emergency accommodation in London [November 2003]

2002

Dublin Convention

The Dublin Convention [August 2002]

Govt proposals

Government announcements and proposals since its White Paper on asylum: a summary [July 2002]

Refugee facts

Refugees in today's world [December 2002]

Nationality, Immigration & Asylum Act

The Nationality, Immigration & Asylum Act 2002: changes to the asylum system in the UK [December 2002]