Who we work with

We work with individuals who’ve been forcibly displaced from their homes and have found sanctuary here in South West London.

Conflict is the biggest driver of forced displacement, but people flee their home countries for many different reasons. When they decide to make the dangerous journey to find safety, it’s often the only option left.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to ‘seek and enjoy refuge from persecution’, no matter where that is.

At Refugee Action Kingston we work with people who’ve sought safety in the Kingston area and beyond. We strive to ensure that everyone – whether they have with refugee status or are in the process of claiming asylum – gets the same opportunities.

 

What’s the difference between a person who’s seeking asylum and someone with refugee status?

Someone seeking asylum has arrived in a new country and applied for refugee status. While their case is being assessed, they’re unable to access most benefits.

If a person seeking asylum fits certain criteria - for example, that they face persecution in their native country - and they can support their claim with evidence, they'll be given refugee status.

So, everyone with refugee status was once seeking asylum – but not all those seeking asylum end up with refugee status.

What is ‘refugee resettlement’?

Refugee resettlement is an internationally recognised scheme that offers safe and legal routes for a limited number of people to travel to a host country.

People who arrive in the UK via a resettlement scheme have had their international protection needs recognised prior to arrival and are therefore able to benefit from state support and don’t need to enter the asylum system on arrival.

Resettlement scheme eligibility is based on many different factors, and many people seeking refuge are still left without a safe or legal option to reach a safe country.

We’ve worked with the UK government on schemes to help people seeking refuge from the following countries:

-          Ukraine

-          Afghanistan

-          Syria

 You can read more about refugee resettlement on the Refugee Council’s website.