Projects that help with destitution
Homeless, sleeping on a sofa, there are options for refused asylum seeking women (and men) who want to get support and re-engage with the immigration system:
National:
NACCOM, No Accomodation Network
ASAP Asylum Support Appeals Project
Local:
BIRCH, Birmingham Community Hosting
Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre
Coventry Migrants Women's Houses
​
Current Section 95 / Sec 4 applications via:
​
​
Param has made a claim for asylum but has nowhere to sleep
​
Param arrived in the UK 2 months ago and claimed asylum. The Home Office accepted her claim after her initial interview and provided her with a letter confirming that her asylum claim is under consideration. While attending church she heard about the Baobab Women’s Project.
​
Param made an appointment at the Baobab drop-in, and told the advocate that she had nowhere to sleep or means to buy food. The advocate saw her letter confirming an ongoing asylum claim, and determined she could make an application for Section 95 support from the Home Office. This includes accommodation in shared housing (this could be a flat, house, hostel, or B&B) in the form of a single room, with a shared kitchen and bathroom, and financial support of £37.75 for each person in the household per week, through an Aspen debit card to pay for food, toiletries, and clothing.
​
The advocate went to the Gov.uk Webpage and downloaded form ASF1 (it can also be filled in online). With Param’s consent, together they filled in the form, signed, scanned, and attached all the necessary evidence regarding the asylum claim. The advocate emailed this to Asylum Support Casework Team on ASCorrespondence@migranthelpuk.org (it can also be posted to them, recorded delivery). We told Param that she should expect a decision in around 2 weeks to a month.
​
We talked to her about Initial Accommodation (Sec 98 support) available to new asylum seekers, usually granted within 23-48 hours, and gave her the Migrant Help number to call. The advocate informed Param about other avenues of support. For emergency help, Coventry Peace House which has a women’s only dormitory, where she could stay that night depending on space available, and there is a Red Cross drop-in on Tuesday (in Bordesley). Contact details for these org’s in our organisation list.
​
For more information on how to prove destitution or section 98, section 4, see ASAP factsheets:
​