Responding to policy

We're constantly pushing for change at Westminster and Holyrood to improve the lives of asylum seekers and refugees in Scotland

Our policy responses explain what we think about current or proposed policy and legislative changes by the UK or Scottish Governments, the EU or other public bodies.

We use our research and direct experiences of working with refugees and people seeking asylum to say how these impact, or may impact, on their lives. We often submit these responses to public consultations or inquiries.

Key policy areas

We are also working hard to proactively advocate on a number of issues which we believe will make for a better asylum system in the UK and better treatment of people seeking asylum and refugees.  

Destitution

• Refused asylum seekers should continue to receive financial support and accommodation as provided during the asylum process until such a time as they have left the UK or have been granted leave to remain
• Refused asylum seekers should continue to receive full access to health care and education throughout the same period
• If an asylum seeker’s claim has not been concluded within six months through no fault of their own, they should be granted permission to work
• The UK Government should adopt a more inclusive approach to its assessment of who is in need of protection by recognising country policies are sometimes unhelpfully restrictive and granting more people asylum or humanitarian protection and considering a temporary status for others who need it

Housing

• No-one should be made homeless because they have been granted refugee status – more preventative activities should be developed from the day people are granted refugee status including UKBA extending the 28-day move-on period from asylum support.
• New refugees should spend no longer than three months in temporary accommodation
• Housing providers must demonstrate that they have considered refugee family sizes when developing their plans
• Refugees in Scotland have access to suitable temporary or permanent accommodation free of hate crime

Children

• All separated children in Scotland should have an independent guardian
• Children’s welfare is guaranteed during the removal process
• A full and lawful age assessment should be provided for every person claiming asylum who states they are under eighteen and where there age is in dispute
• Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children should have access to quality and timely legal representation

Integration

• People seeking asylum in Scotland should be supported to integrate in Scotland from day-one through the development of appropriate strategies, polices and services which meet their needs

Women

• Asylum-seeking and refugee women will have their voices heard by decision-makers in Scotland and the UK
• Asylum-seeking and refugee women (in particular those that have suffered violence, torture, rape and/or domestic abuse) are able to access appropriate support because of an improved understanding of their needs by mainstream services

• Asylum-seeking women benefit from a universal and gendered health assessment within 14 days of arriving in Scotland and a gendered health assessment is promoted across the UK

• Asylum-seeking women benefit from improved processes by the UK Border Agency  to assess their vulnerability at the beginning of the asylum process

• Asylum-seeking and refugee women across the UK benefit from the implementation of improved practice achieved in Scotland e.g. provision of secondary healthcare, provision of child care and direct engagement with refugee and asylum-seeking women advocacy groups

A fair and effective asylum process

• All asylum applications in Scotland should be processed through a fair and efficient process with access to quality legal advice available from the outset and throughout the asylum procedure

Resource library

Our policy briefings are also stored in our searchable resource library.

If you cannot find what you are looking for, email us.