Our Vision of a Welcoming Britain
By the UK’s first coalition of campaigners with lived experience of the immigration and asylum system
We are One Strong Voice. Our vision is a welcoming and non-discriminatory immigration and asylum system that treats people with humanity, dignity and fairness.
We are human beings, just like you, with hopes and dreams. We need safety for ourselves and for our families.
We know that the current system is failing people in need of safety and compassion. We have seen it with our own eyes.
And this government’s Anti-Refugee Bill will be the most destructive reforms to an already broken asylum system we’ve ever seen.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Our Vision of a Welcoming Britain
That’s why we’ve put together a 7-point plan for a better, more compassionate, more welcoming asylum system.
This is our positive vision for what a welcoming Britain could look like, by people who know what it feels like to live through the hostile environment.
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Ensure that people are able to access refugee protection no matter how they arrived here
While it's preferable for people to take safe routes, we know it is just not possible for most people to do so. Everybody should be able to apply for refugee status - no matter their journey to safety.
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Create an accountable asylum decision-making system, free of political interference, and equipped to make the best decision, first time
Put in place a fairer, more transparent and more independent system to decide on people’s claims for protection. People claiming asylum should receive high quality legal advice, humane treatment and fast, accurate decisions.
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End immigration detention once and for all
Nobody should be detained for immigration purposes and should be treated in a safe, dignified and humane way at all times. We understand not everyone will be given protection, but we need a system that respects the humanity of those whose claims have been denied.
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House people seeking asylum in the community, so we can rebuild our lives
People seeking asylum are human beings just like everybody else. We need housing that gives us the dignity of living in safety, instead of housing us in offshore camps half the world away, or in military barracks or immigration detention.
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Create a new refugee integration strategy that starts from day 1 of arrival and ensures that local communities thrive
Support refugees to build new futures in Britain as part of their local communities. Policies should help people realise their full potential, empowering them to make a positive contribution to their communities through access to work, education and retraining.
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Help at least 20,000 refugees per year to find safety and settle in the UK
80 million people were displaced around the world in 2020. We believe the UK should play a role in providing sustainable solutions to forced migration, including through the resettlement of at least 20,000 refugees per year.
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Enhance refugee family reunion so that family unity is preserved
Family life is a right to every human being - and refugees are no different. Family reunion for refugees should be enhanced and strengthened so that everybody has a chance to build a life with their family.