Refugee Action

Refugee Action is an independent national charity founded in 1981 that provides advice and support to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and campaigns for a fairer asylum system. It is governed by a Board of Trustees, chaired by Penny Lawrence. Its chief executive is Stephen Hale OBE who joined the charity in February 2014. Each year Refugee Action provides advice and practical support to over 10,000 vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees from dozens of countries and offers a range of specialist services. Until the end of 2015 it used to run the UKs assisted voluntary return (AVR) programme. Refugee Action has its head office in London and offices in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol.

In the past work has included the resettlement of refugees from Vietnam, Bosnia and Kosovo, as well as evacuees from Montserrat after the Soufrière Hills volcano eruption in 1995.

It operates the largest part of the UNHCR Gateway Resettlement Programme in the UK, which resettles 750 refugees every year. The main countries of origin of current service users include Somalia, Sudan, Iraq, Ethiopia and Congo.

The Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme is also delivered by Refugee Action in some areas of the UK. The scheme intends to resettle up to 20,000 Syrians in the UK.

Refugee Action helps asylum seekers making claims for asylum and offers support throughout the asylum process. Prevention of asylum homelessness is part of that work.

The campaigns Refugee Action is currently doing include Let refugees learn, which wants more ESOL provision for refugees, Family Reunion, which wants less restrictions on which family members can be reunited in the UK. Past campaigns included Right to Volunteer and Bring back Dignity.

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