Scottish Refugee Council is an independent charity dedicated to providing advice, information and assistance to asylum seekers and refugees living in Scotland. We also provide specialist services in areas such as housing and welfare, women's issues, community development, the media and the arts.

We play a leading role in policy development and campaign on refugee issues to ensure that Scotland plays a full role in meeting the UK's legal and humanitarian obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees.

High success rates in asylum appeals point to poor decision making at an early stage

26 August 2010

The UK Border Agency released its figures on asylum for Quarter 2 of 2010 today. The figures show that nearly a third (27%) of appeals made on refused asylum cases are successful – compared to just 20% in the same period two years ago.

We believe that this points to increasingly poor decision making by the UK Border Agency. We are calling for an overhaul of the asylum system to include providing quality legal advice for all new asylum applicants from the start of the process.

Read our press release

Date for your diary: Autumn Conference 2010

Support our work by becoming a member Our autumn conference will take place at Hampden Park on Friday 29 October 2010. We will be focussing primarily on the new Coalition Government’s stated agenda for asylum seekers and refugees - including: speeding up the asylum process; ending child detention and treatment of LGBT people seeking asylum.

Our conferences regularly attract high profile speakers and stakeholders from across the UK. A conference programme will be available in August.

To register your interest, please contact Graeme Corbett, Membership & External Affairs Officer on events@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk

Roadkill wins Herald Angel

16 August, 2010

Lead actress in Roadkill Roadkill, a heartwrenching play telling the story of a trafficked child - directed by Cora Bisset and supported by Scottish Refugee Council - premiered during a sell-out run at Refugee Week Scotland.

Now a runaway success on the Edinburgh fringe, it has just won its first award - a Herald Angel. Congratulations to Cora Bisset, Ankur and Pachamama Productions, and everyone who's been involved.

Whether you've seen the play or not, we have put together some information for those who want to know more about the issues it covers and want to help.

Scottish Refugee Council comment: Supreme Court rules ‘fresh claim’ asylum seekers should be allowed to work

July 29, 2010

Scottish Refugee Council welcomes the Supreme Court decision to allow a Somali asylum seeker, who had submitted a fresh asylum claim, permission to work. A fresh claim is when a person submits further evidence which is accepted by UKBA to be new and relevant. It must be evidence that could not have been included in a previous claim.

Under the EU Reception Directive, asylum seekers can apply for permission to work if they have not had an initial decision on their claim from UKBA within 12 months. The court has now ruled that this right should also be made available to those who have been in the country for more than 12 months and have made a fresh claim.

John Wilkes, chief executive of Scottish Refugee Council, said: “We very much welcome this ruling."

Join Scottish Refugee Council at the political conferences

Each year Scottish Refugee Council attends the party conferences in Scotland. We are looking to recruit volunteers from the asylum seeking and refugee community in Scotland to join us as we continue to campaign for a just and humane asylum system. If you are interested please read the information and application pack by clicking here.

Please note that the closing date for applications is 5pm on Thursday 2 September.

If you would like to speak to someone informally before applying you can call Graeme Corbett on (0141) 248 9799

Membership

July 2010

Support our work and show solidarity with refugees and those seeking asylum by becoming a member of Scottish Refugee Council.

For more information please email Graeme Corbett, Membership and External Affairs Officer, on events@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk

Download an application form for membership (word doc)

UK Border Agency guidance now available for refugees applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has published guidance and an application for refugees who are applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement) in the UK. The guidance refers to people who were granted Refugee Status or Humanitarian Protection after 30 August 2005.

Read the information leaflet about applying for settlement in the UK on the UKBA website

Find out how to complete the application on the UKBA website

Download the application from the UKBA website

Download the photograph guidance from the UKBA website

Scottish Refugee Council, along with other refugee organisations, is currently talking to the UKBA about the details of the process. We will provide further information in the coming weeks.

Fundraising campaign

Please give. To coincide with our 25th Anniversary we have launched a campaign to secure more individual supporters for our future work. This is our first step in a long-term effort to increase the number of individual supporters we have and generate much needed resources that will allow us to do other work.

Read the campaign leaflet (217 KB PDF) and consider pledging your support.

Visit our donate page to make a donation.

Facts and figures on asylum

March 2010

Tell It Like It Is cover Do you need to know more about refugees and those seeking asylum, or need some basic statistics and facts? Our handy little guides could be for you.

Tell it like it is: An up-to-date factual guide from Refugee Council which outlines the truth about asylum.

Asylum: the facts contains information about the asylum system and highlights the benefits they are bringing to the country.

Visit the Publications section of our website to read and download all three guides

Annual Review 2009

Our Annual Review for 2009 is now available. Working together with people and partners who share our values, we have been influencing change, working in communities and offering advice and support. Thank you for working with us to make Scotland a place of sanctuary for those fleeing persecution.

Download the annual review here (1.55 MB PDF)

A high resolution version of the review is available on request.