Safer BCP Partnership

A person seeking asylum is someone who has left their home country and asked another country for protection because they fear persecution, conflict, violence or serious harm if they return. Seeking asylum is a legal right under international law. People who claim asylum are asking the UK Government to consider whether they need protection because they would be unsafe if returned to their home country. While their application is being considered, they are known as a ‘person seeking asylum’, or ‘asylum seeker’ and they are lawfully present in the UK.

A refugee is someone whose asylum claim has been recognised and who has been granted protection because they cannot safely return to their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution, conflict or serious harm. Refugees are entitled to live in the UK and have rights that allow them to work, study and access public services.

People seeking asylum and refugees come from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances. Many have experienced conflict, persecution, violence or serious harm before arriving in the UK.

A migrant is a broad term for someone who moves from one country to another. People migrate for many different reasons, including work, study, family, retirement and safety and protection. Not all migrants are refugees or people seeking asylum. Many come to the UK through visa routes that are entirely separate from the asylum system.

A resettled refugee is someone who has been identified as needing protection and is brought directly to the UK through an organised humanitarian scheme, rather than travelling to the UK and then claiming asylum. Resettlement schemes are designed for particularly vulnerable people who have already been recognised as needing protection.

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) was a UK Government resettlement programme established following events in Afghanistan in 2021. The scheme prioritised vulnerable Afghans, including people at risk because of their work supporting UK or international efforts, women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups. People arriving through the scheme were resettled in the UK rather than going through the asylum process after arrival.

ARAP was a separate UK Government relocation scheme for Afghan citizens who worked for, or alongside, the UK Government in Afghanistan and whose safety was at risk as a result. Eligible individuals and their families could be relocated to the UK.

Some people come to the UK through humanitarian routes created in response to conflicts or emergencies. These routes are separate from the standard asylum process and are designed to provide protection to specific groups identified by the UK Government.

The Homes for Ukraine Scheme was introduced by the UK Government in 2022 in response to the conflict in Ukraine. The scheme enables Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor who can provide accommodation. People arriving through the scheme are granted permission to live, work and study in the UK and can access public services. The scheme is separate from the asylum system and provides a humanitarian route for those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.

The Home Office has a legal duty to provide accommodation for eligible people seeking asylum who would otherwise be homeless. When dedicated asylum accommodation is unavailable, hotels may be used as a temporary measure. The Home Office has announced that it will close asylum hotels as soon as possible, and by the end of this Parliament.

Hotel accommodation is arranged and funded by the Home Office, not BCP Council.

The Home Office has a statutory responsibility to provide accommodation for eligible people seeking asylum who would otherwise be destitute while their asylum claim is being considered.

BCP Council does not have powers to approve, refuse or prevent the Home Office from providing asylum accommodation in its area.

BCP Council works with the Home Office, public services and local partners to understand and manage impacts on local communities and services.

If a person is granted refugee status and becomes homeless or threatened with homelessness, BCP Council may have duties under homelessness legislation in the same way as for any other eligible household.

Homelessness duties are assessed based on individual circumstances and legal eligibility. They do not guarantee access to social housing. Many households are supported through a range of housing options, including homelessness prevention services, private rented accommodation and temporary accommodation where required.

People seeking asylum come from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds and include women, children, families, older people and single adults. Many have experienced conflict, persecution, violence or separation from family members before arriving in the UK. Some children seek asylum without parents or carers.

Many people seeking asylum are keen to integrate into the local community and contribute to the local economy. While their asylum claim is being considered, they may access a range of community-based activities and support services available locally.

People seeking asylum are permitted to volunteer while awaiting a decision on their claim. Participation in volunteering, community activities and English language learning can help individuals develop local connections and prepare for life in the UK if they are granted protection.