© UNHCR/Andrew McConnell
Our Mission
The Commission agrees that the UK refugee and asylum system is not fit for purpose. The UK currently operates a broken refugee and asylum system, which is unfair, unethical, inefficient, open to abuse, and is often detrimental to the integration of refugees. By way of alternative, the Commission agrees that an ideal UK refugee and asylum system should…
BE BASED ON
HUMAN RIGHTS
Prioritising social justice, human
dignity and the provision of protection requires recognising “the right of persons to seek asylum from persecution in other countries” (Article 14 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights). This should be applied without discrimination as to ethnicity, religion and nationality, sex, age, disability, sexuality, (or other prohibited grounds
of discrimination).
ACHIEVE
PUBLIC CONSENT
The refugee and asylum system must
have the confidence and consent of the
British public. This will require ‘democratic deliberation’ with input from refugees, local communities and wider society. It needs flexibility and compromise between
different stakeholders.
BE EFFICIENT,
TRANSPARENT AND PROPERLY FUNDED
The system should make effective use
of resources to deliver value for money. It
should make clear who has responsibility for the decision-making process and the criteria for how decisions are taken. It will provide training for decision makers, including provision for the respectful and humane removal of those whose protection claims
are concluded unsuccessfully.
Recognise
the international
context and the need for cooperation
The UK refugee and asylum system
exists in the context of global forced
migration, such as war, climate change and persecution. Numbers of refugees are likely to grow from the present 100 million displaced people, which means any system is part of an international response to the displacement
of people. This requires international cooperation, such as a commitment
to accepting a fair share of refugees,
as well as safe routes.
EMPOWER
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
AND ENHANCE SOCIAL CONTACT WITH REFUGEES
Communities must be prepared
for the arrival of refugees. Social contact between refugees and host communities should be encouraged – for example, through the provision of Welcome Hubs and joint activities. Fostering personal encounters will facilitate the affirmation of shared values,
the building of trust between diverse groups and the acceptance and integration
of refugees.
Establish clear criteria for
measuring success
This should be a holistic measurement which accounts eg,. for employment, education, housing, healthcare, and economic trajectories for refugees, as well as the direct and indirect cost and benefits of the system for British state and society.
Be ‘outcome based’
with clear objectives
The system should lead either to the
granting of protection or swift but
dignified return (with a focus on waiting
times and asylum determination success rate), while ensuring that applicants are afforded the necessary time and support to prepare their claims and to challenge judgements they consider incorrect. The safety and dignity of refugees must lie at the heart of the
return process.
Account for
local community integration capacity
The dispersal of refugees and
asylum seekers across the UK should
take into consideration local capacity constraints (e.g. housing availability and economic conditions), while also respecting
the specific needs or preferences of refugees themselves. This is important for local community integration, as well as for
enabling sustainable, multi-annual and
predictable funding at local and
national levels.
Ensure safe and
regular entry
Resettlement schemes,
sponsorship programmes and
international cooperation with the UK’s neighbours will expand safe and regular entry. The system must also continue to support those refugees who enter the UK through irregular means. The legal basis for selection must be fair and transparent, based on refugees’ needs for protection and based
on a robust legal framework.
Empower refugees
and be co-produced
People with refugee experience
should become assets to future refugees
and UK society. Their input should underpin any proposals to reform the current system, while they should be able to become advocates to support future refugees. At the same time, refugees should be supported to adapt to the lifestyle of the host community without losing their own cultural identity
and social support network.
Learn from what has worked before
It is important to learn from what has worked well, both in the UK and other countries, in Europe and beyond. Lessons should also be learnt from the experiences of other sectors (such as NHS streamlining of regulation during the Covid pandemic).
Prevent abuse
of the system
A fit-for-purpose refugee and
asylum system would distinguish
between those who are genuinely in need
of protection and those who are not. It would also mitigate against criminal enterprises seeking to exploit those attempting to access the system. This will both ensure public trust in the system as well as help tackle some of the criminal activity and human exploitation associated with current irregular
migration, such as indentured labour
and modern slavery.
BE BASED ON
HUMAN RIGHTS
Prioritising social justice, human dignity and
the provision of protection requires recognising “the right of persons to seek asylum from persecution in other countries” (Article 14 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights). This should be applied without discrimination as to ethnicity, religion and nationality, sex, age, disability, sexuality, (or other prohibited
grounds of discrimination).
ACHIEVE
PUBLIC CONSENT
The refugee and asylum system must have the confidence and consent of the British public. This will require ‘democratic deliberation’ with input from refugees, local communities and wider society. It needs flexibility and compromise between different stakeholders.
BE EFFICIENT,
TRANSPARENT AND PROPERLY FUNDED
The system should make effective use of resources to deliver value for money. It should make clear who has responsibility for the decision-making process and the criteria for how decisions are taken. It will provide training for decision makers, including provision for the respectful and humane removal of those whose protection claims are concluded unsuccessfully.
Recognise
the international
context and the need for cooperation
The UK refugee and asylum system exists in the context of global forced migration, such as war, climate change and persecution. Numbers of refugees are likely to grow from the present 100 million displaced people, which means any system is part of an international response to the displacement of people. This requires international cooperation, such as a commitment to
accepting a fair share of refugees,
as well as safe routes.
EMPOWER
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
AND ENHANCE SOCIAL CONTACT WITH REFUGEES
Communities must be prepared for the arrival of refugees. Social contact between refugees and host communities should be encouraged – for example, through the provision of Welcome Hubs and joint activities. Fostering personal encounters will facilitate the affirmation of shared values, the building of trust between diverse groups and
the acceptance and integration
of refugees.
Establish clear criteria for measuring success
This should be a holistic measurement which accounts eg,. for employment, education, housing, healthcare, and economic trajectories for refugees, as well as the direct and indirect cost and benefits of the system for British state and society.
Be ‘outcome based’
with clear objectives
The system should lead either to the granting
of protection or swift but dignified return
(with a focus on waiting times and asylum determination success rate), while ensuring that applicants are afforded the necessary time and support to prepare their claims and to challenge judgements they consider incorrect. The safety
and dignity of refugees must lie at the heart
of the return process.
Account for
local community integration capacity
The dispersal of refugees and asylum seekers across the UK should take into consideration local capacity constraints (e.g. housing availability and economic conditions), while also respecting
the specific needs or preferences of refugees themselves. This is important for local community integration, as well as for enabling sustainable, multi-annual and predictable funding at
local and national levels.
Ensure safe and
regular entry
Resettlement schemes, sponsorship programmes and international cooperation with the UK’s neighbours will expand safe and regular entry. The system must also continue to support those refugees who enter the UK through irregular means. The legal basis for selection must be fair and transparent, based on refugees’ needs for protection and based on a robust
legal framework.
Empower refugees
and be co-produced
People with refugee experience should become assets to future refugees and UK society. Their input should underpin any proposals to reform the current system, while they should be able to become advocates to support future refugees. At the same time, refugees should be supported to adapt to the lifestyle of the host community without losing their own cultural identity and social support network.
Learn from what has worked before
It is important to learn from what has worked well, both in the UK and other countries, in Europe and beyond. Lessons should also be learnt from the experiences of other sectors (such as NHS streamlining of regulation during the
Covid pandemic).
Prevent abuse of
the system
A fit-for-purpose refugee and asylum system would distinguish between those who are genuinely in need of protection and those who are not. It would also mitigate against criminal enterprises seeking to exploit those attempting to access the system. This will both ensure public trust in the system as well as help tackle some of the criminal activity and human exploitation associated with current irregular migration, such as indentured
labour and modern slavery.
The Commission agrees that the UK refugee and asylum system is not fit for purpose. The UK currently operates a broken refugee and asylum system, which is unfair, unethical, inefficient, open to abuse, and is often detrimental to the integration of refugees and asylum seekers.
STAY UPDATED
To hear about our latest news and events, subscribe to our regular email newsletter.
