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What happens when you get Refugee Status?

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Although it is a relief to receive refugee status, it is often a very overwhelming experience. Almost overnight, you need to learn what to do about how to get housing, social care, work, or bringing family to join you. This is a simple guide to help you navigate through this change, and signposts to

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An introduction to claiming asylum in the UK

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New look Toolkit – our guide to the asylum and immigration system

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You can search the toolkit in different languages. Choose your language using the 'search language' bar on the home page.

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Read more about this guide on the About page.

Find the information you need for your situation using the contents bar on the left - there's information about asylum cases, human rights cases, and immigration cases. Your situation might fall into more than one of these categories.

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A step-by-step guide to the UK asylum and immigration system The Right to Remain Toolkit is free to use, and it's for people who want to learn more about the legal process, or a particular part of the legal process.

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Employment mentoring, support and for refugees and asylum seekers

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Employment mentoring, support and for refugees and asylum seekers

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Pashto_CS55915 Sexual Assault and Abuse Booklet_web

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Useful phrases for therapy in Albanian, Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Tigrinya

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Useful phrases for therapy in Albanian, Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Tigrinya

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Guides for refugees Archives - Refugee Council

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A guide for applying for the right to work

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Last updated: 8 June 2023
What is asylum permission to work?
We get a lot of people contacting us with questions about requesting permission to work from the Home Office when they have been waiting a long time for a decision on their asylum claim.

Most people who have claimed asylum in the UK are initially not allowed to work. This can be really difficult because it feels like you cannot move on with your life, and you cannot earn your own money whilst waiting for a delayed decision from the Home Office.

However, the immigration rules allow for you to request permission to work if you have been waiting for more than 12 months on your asylum claim "through no fault of your own". This may be 12 months after initially claiming asylum, or 12 months after submitting further submissions to be considered as a fresh claim.

Almost everybody granted permission to work under this policy is only allowed to work in a job on the Home Office's shortage occupation list.
Shortage Occupation List
The Shortage Occupation List (often shortened to 'SOL') is a list published by the Home Office that shows jobs that have a shortage (this means not enough) people working in them in the UK.

Most jobs on the shortage occupation list are specialised (like civil engineers, architects, or classical ballet dancers). This is limiting because it means that people who seek asylum in the UK and obtain work permission cannot work in whatever job they would like to choose.

However, in 2021 and 2022 the list was expanded to include positions like nursing (and nursing assistants), and care work. This opened the possibility of employment up to more people seeking asylum.

There are currently further changes being made to the shortage occupation list, and it is likely that more job types will be added to the list before July 2023. We will keep our readers updated on any changes through our Legal Updates newsletter. You can read about the future of the shortage occupation list here.
Difference between permission to work and skilled worker visa
Applying for a 'skilled worker visa', and claiming asylum in the UK are two separate paths to immigration status. This often confuses people because both routes have shortage occupation lists - but these lists are not the same.

A skilled worker visa is for people who apply to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer. Their visa is tied to sponsorship by their employer. You can read more about the skilled worker visa here.

By contrast, someone who claims asylum comes to the UK to seek international protection from fear of persecution. You can learn more about the definition of asylum and what the process is like in the UK here.

People who have claimed asylum in the UK are not eligible to go down the skilled worker visa route to get a job if they are still waiting for a decision on their asylum claim. People can only switch to the skilled worker route if they already have another type of visa in the UK.

Similarly, skilled workers cannot apply for permission to work as an asylum seeker because they are already in the UK on the basis of a sponsorship by an employer (although skilled workers are now allowed to update their visa if they change their role or employer).
Working on a student visa
Again, permission to work as a person seeking asylum and permission to work as someone with a student visa in the UK are two separate paths.

Students are able to work in line with the conditions outlined on their student visa, and that work doesn't have to be on the shortage occupation list. However, if a student is receiving legal aid or asylum support, how much they earn could affect whether or not they continue to be eligible for these services.
How to apply for asylum permission to work
Permission to work is not issued automatically: you have to apply to the Home Office for it.

If you have a lawyer, it is a good idea to ask them to help you apply for work permission. If you do not have a lawyer, the Migration Justice Project (part of the Law Centre in Northern Ireland) has drafted a useful guide to applying for work permission.

You can access the guide in English, Tigrinya, Somali, Farsi, and Arabic.

To apply for permission to work from the Home Office, you will have to write to the Home Office with evidence.

All applications for permission to work from people seeking asylum or people who have submitted further submissions for a fresh claim should be made by writing to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and should include the following information:

Your full name, date of birth and nationality

Home Office reference number

A statement setting out your request for permission to work

Your contact details (email address, phone number and address) and the contact details of your legal representative (if you have one).

Applications must be sent to the one of the following teams:

Asylum Casework Teams: people awaiting an initial decision on their asylum claim should submit any request for permission to work via email to AomPTW@homeoffice.gov.uk or by post to: Permission to Work Team, Asylum Operations, Department 139, The Capital, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L3 9PP

Refused Case Management: Applications for permission to work from people whose asylum claims have been refused but who have outstanding further submissions are dealt with by Refused Case Management and should be sent via email to RCMPTW@homeoffice.gov.uk or by post to: Permission to Work Team, Administrative Unit, Level 7, The Capital, New Hall Place, Liverpool, L3 9PP

Once you have received permission to work, you will be issued with a new Asylum Registration Card (often referred to as an 'ARC' card) to reflect that you have permission to work. Often people experience a delay in receiving their new ARC card.
National Insurance Number
When you have received your updated ARC card, you will need to apply for a National Insurance Number (often shortened to 'NI'). Again, the Migration Justice Project has published a guide to obtaining a National Insurance Number once you have obtained permission to work.

You can access the guide in English, Tigrinya, Somali, Farsi, and Arabic.

Your new employer may also ask you to complete an Access NI check. This is a criminal history record check which lets your employer know if you have been convicted of a criminal offence or are barred from working with children or vulnerable adults. This is the standard procedure for anyone who works with vulnerable persons.
Common Problems
Unfortunately, for many people, receiving permission to work can often lead to a number of other problems. We will list the most common challenges here, along with some potential actions that you can take to resolve them.
How does permission to work affect asylum support?
If you have claimed asylum, and do not have anywhere to live and/or money to support yourself, you may be able to get asylum support. This is provided by the Home Office and, depending on your circumstances, can include housing and/or basic living expenses.

Asylum support is provided by the Home Office while your asylum claim is being considered (this means while you are waiting for a decision), or after your claim for asylum has been refused.

Asylum support is different from mainstream welfare benefits.

If you receive permission to work, this will not affect your asylum support.

However, if you start working and have an income (this means you start to earn money), you will have a legal duty to notify the Home Office of this. The Home Office will then review your situation to see whether or not you are still considered 'destitute'. The outcome of this will depend on your specific situation.
Delays
Many people in our community tell us that they have been experiencing very long delays from the Home Office in:

Moving forward with their asylum application (having their interview, or receiving a decision on their claim)

Receiving a grant of work permission after they have applied for it

Receiving an updated ARC card once they have been granted work permission

We know that waiting a long time for a Home Office decision can be a very stressful and exhausting experience.

A report published by the Refugee Council in July 2021 found that the average waiting time for an initial decision on an asylum case is likely to be between one and three years. It stated that Home Office delays in providing initial decisions on asylum claims were mainly caused by a failure by the Home Office to keep up with the number of decisions that needed to be made.

David Neale, Chief Inspector for borders and immigration, highlighted this failure by the Home Office in a report which was published in May 2022. So, inefficient decision-making and 'internal failings' of the Home Office have led to this crisis.

Waiting a long time for a Home Office decision can be emotionally exhausting and stressful, even if you eventually receive a positive decision and refugee status.

If you are facing a delay at any point in the asylum process, it can sometimes be useful to get your local Member of Parliament (MP) involved in your asylum, human rights, or immigration case. You can find out who your local MP is by visiting the They Work For You website and typing in your postcode. Contacting your MP can be useful for two main reasons. First, they may be able to contact the Home Office on your behalf to speed up the time it takes for them to give you a decision.

However, given the number of delays across the country, this might not be possible or successful. So, the second useful thing about contacting your MP about a delay is that it shows them just how many people in their constituency are facing Home Office delays; and this makes it more likely that they will raise the issue in Parliament which will give it more attention.

You can learn more about delays by watching our YouTube video here:

A share code is an online nine-digit code of letters and numbers that can be provided to you on the Home Office website. It is used by people who do not have a British passport to show an employer that they have the right to work.

A common issue that we have heard about is that people are granted permission to work, but when they input their details on the Home Office website, no share code comes up and so employers are refusing to give them a job.

There are a few things you can do if you are in this position.

First, if you have received an 'ASL 4264' letter from the Home Office confirming your grant of permission to work, your employer may accept this as proof if you show it to them.

Second, if you do not have this letter or your employer says that it is not enough, employers can use the Employer Checking Service to ask the Home Office to check an employee's or potential employee's immigration status if they cannot show their documents or online immigration status, or if the employer won't accept the ARC card or associated letter.
Your rights - employers withdrawing offers
Some people have found that they receive an offer of employment, but when the employer finds out that they are seeking asylum, the offer is withdrawn (this means taken away).

Aké Achi from Migrants at Work has provided an excellent guide to figure out whether the employer was right to withdraw their offer or whether you can challenge it as follows:
Further information about migrant workers' rights
To learn more about migrant workers' rights, and to join the movement in advocating for their rights and fair treatment, or receive further support, you can look to the work of the following organisations:

Migrants at Work - an organisation that seeks to prevent #HomegrownSlavery, protect migrants in the workforce, and empower migrant workers. You can read their blog post about right to work checks here.

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Applying for Permission to Work (Asylum)

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We get a lot of people contacting us with questions about requesting permission to work from the Home Office when they have been waiting a long time for a decision on their asylum claim. Most people who have claimed asylum in the UK are initially not allowed to work.

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Study opportunities to support refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK to access university

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Study opportunities to support refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK to access university

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https://www.displacedstudent.org.uk/

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Studying at university has helped me learn more about something I enjoy and develop transferable skills. It has also connected me more to my local community and helped me integrate into a new society.

AbdulRahman

BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering

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Studying at university has helped me learn more about something I enjoy and develop transferable skills. It has also connected me more to my local community and helped me integrate into a new society. AbdulRahman BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering

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Support for young people in Leicester https://www.after18.org.uk/

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"After18 feels like a family to me"

"An amazing charity that helped me every step to my future"

"After18 became my second home and gives me strength to overcome the stress I'm living in"

Helping Leicester's young refugees to rebuild their lives

After18 is a charity which specialises in supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young refugees under 25 to adjust to living in the UK, consider their options and prepare for their future.

We also provide a wide range of activities for young people to socialise, have fun and learn new skills.

Recent tweets from @After18UK

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"After18 feels like a family to me" "An amazing charity that helped me every step to my future" "After18 became my second home and gives me strength to overcome the stress I'm living in" After18 is a charity which specialises in supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young refugees under 25 to adjust to living in the UK, consider their options and prepare for their future.

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https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/get-support/services/private-rented-scheme/

https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/get-support/services/refugee-advice-service-london/

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If you have become homeless as a result of being granted protection in the UK, we can help you.

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The following resources are super useful for practising listening skills at home! Lots of interesting topics that are recent and relevant. Aimed toward intermediate/advanced learners.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english

https://ed.ted.com/lessons?direction=desc&sort=featured-position&user_by_click=student

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/c1-listening

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/b2-listening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWsvprkcVFQ&list=PL_Zjf61X10RInehohZdr4hwH9Tz6kHPRK

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Our long-running series of topical discussion and new vocabulary, brought to you by your favourite BBC Learning English presenters.

From the archives

All 6 Minute English programmes pre-September 2014 can be found here.

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Our long-running series of topical discussion and new vocabulary, brought to you by your favourite BBC Learning English presenters. All 6 Minute English programmes pre-September 2014 can be found here.

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https://www.eligradedreaders.com/free-eli-readers/free-english-elt

https://www.englishclub.com/reading/short-stories.htm

https://engoo.com/app/daily-news

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/

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The new ELI Readers are narrative texts of great literary prominence with a strong identity, whether they are classics, adapted or whole, or originals.

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Interest-free Refugee Integration Loans 

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Interest-free Refugee Integration Loans 

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Refugees and people with humanitarian protection and their dependents can apply for a interest free refugee integration loan of between £100 and £780 to pay for such as rent deposit, rent, household items and education and training for work.
https://www.gov.uk/refugee-integration-loan/print

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You can apply for a refugee integration loan to pay for things like:

a rent deposit or rent

household items

education and training for work

You must be over 18 and one of the following:

a refugee

you have humanitarian protection

a dependant of a refugee or someone with humanitarian protection

You can apply for the loan either by yourself or with your partner.

Integration loans are interest-free - you only pay back what you borrow, but you must make regular payments.

Contact your local Jobcentre Plus before applying for this loan to see if you can get help with training, education, work, living or childcare costs - you may be able to get this help for free.

If you're applying by yourself, you can borrow between £100 and £500.

If you're applying with your partner, you can borrow between £100 and £780.

What you can use your loan for

You can only use the loan for things that are essential to help you to settle into UK society, including:

a housing deposit, rent payment or moving costs

essential items for your home

training or education

basic living costs (such as food or household bills)

work clothing and equipment

What you cannot use your loan for

You cannot use the loan to pay for certain things, including:

debts

travel costs for family members to join you in the UK

You may be asked to prove how you spent the loan. You may have to repay it in full straight away if you do not use it for the reason you said on your application.

The loan will be paid directly into your bank or building society account.

Repaying the loan

If your application is successful, you'll be sent a loan agreement which will tell you how to repay the loan.

You will not have to start repaying the loan until 6 weeks after you get the money.

How much your repayments are and how you pay will depend on your circumstances. You may have to pay more and in a shorter time if you start working and your benefits change.

For example, if you're receiving Universal Credit, you'll pay back up to £25 a month. If you work full-time, you'll need to pay back £50 a month.

Your loan will not usually affect any income-related benefits you get unless you have more than £6,000 in savings.

You must be over 18 and one of the following:

a refugee

you have humanitarian protection

a dependant of a refugee or someone with humanitarian protection

You can also apply for a joint loan with your husband, wife or partner.

You cannot apply if you:

are under 18

are an asylum seeker who's been allowed to settle by a decision outside the Immigration Rules

have had an integration loan before, including a joint loan

Your application may be refused if you've been convicted of a criminal offence since you arrived in the UK.

You must apply online for an integration loan.

To apply you'll need your:

biometric residence permit (BRP)

Home Office reference number

bank or building society account details

You'll also need to provide your National Insurance number. If you do not have one, you must apply for one at your local Jobcentre Plus before you apply for an integration loan.

If you've already applied by post or email

You can no longer apply by post or email. If you sent an application by post or email before 18 May 2020 your application will still be reviewed. You do not need to do anything.

Get more help

Your local refugee community organisation can help you with your application and filling in the form.

You can also contact the integration loan team.

After you've applied

You'll get a decision within 4 weeks.

If your application is successful, you'll get an email or letter asking you to accept a loan agreement. After you accept the agreement, you'll receive your loan payment.

If you have not been contacted about your application after 4 weeks, email the integration loan team.

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Apply for a refugee integration loan if you're over 18 and you're either a refugee, you've been given humanitarian protection or you're the dependant of a refugee or someone who's been given humanitarian protection - what you'll get, how you're paid, eligibility, how to apply

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City of Sanctuary’s Maternity Stream Resource Pack  

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City of Sanctuary’s Maternity Stream Resource Pack  

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https://cdn.cityofsanctuary.org/uploads/sites/45/2022/11/MATERNITY-RESOURCE-PACK-24-10-22-ammended-links.pdf

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SPANISH Healthcare Rights _ Entitlements

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FRENCH Healthcare Rights _ Entitlements 

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ENGLISH Healthcare Rights _ Entitlements

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_Learn English at home activities (A4 Document) (1)

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Whilst not intended as legal advice, we hope this guide can be an engaging, helpful, factual resource for both those who have experienced trafficking or modern slavery and their caseworkers, supporters and advocates.

"This guide is an important explanation of the UK trafficking-identification process ('the NRM'). The NRM can be very difficult to understand, even for people in the system, and that makes it impossible for them to access their rights. This guide will let people understand what the NRM is, where they are in the process and what to expect next. Support workers and other professionals can use this guide to help explain the NRM to people who need an accessible introduction to it." - Jennifer Blair (Immigration Barrister, No5 Chambers)

Why we made the toolkit

The Migrants Organise Community Programme works with many people who may have a history of modern slavery or trafficking, and are unaware of the NRM and the support it entitles them to. Many of our members have complex mental health needs, varying levels of English and comprehension.

This guide was therefore born out of a need to communicate very complex and confusing systems and processes in a simplistic but engaging way.

Read more below to learn more about the NRM, or download the toolkit now.
What is the NRM?

The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is a framework coordinated through the Home office. It is "for "identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery and ensuring they receive the appropriate support.

Modern slavery is a complex crime and may involve multiple forms of exploitation. It encompasses:

human trafficking

slavery, servitude, and forced or compulsory labour

An individual could have been a victim of human trafficking and/or slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.

Survivors may not be aware that they are being trafficked or exploited, and may have consented to elements of their exploitation, or accepted their situation.

Once someone (for example, a caseworker, or any other professional working with the person) has identified indicators of trafficking or modern slavery they would submit a referral via a first responder and the relevant competent authority would fully consider the case."
Read about the NRM on the gov.uk website
For more information about this toolkit please contact info@migrantsorganise.org

Please note: This toolkit is not a replacement for legal advice.

Special thank you to Esme Kemp - Migrants Organise Caseworker and illustrator- for coming up with the idea for this toolkit and illustrating it so beautifully. You can see Esme's other work here.

The Migrants Organise Community Programme works with around 550 migrants and refugees every year. We provide a combination of advice, advocacy, training, mentoring and group activities that create a safe and welcoming environment for our community members.

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An illustrated guide to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) - Migrants Organise

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Migrants Organise has created an illustrated "Guide to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM)" for survivors who have experienced trafficking to better understand the process of being referred into the NRM. Whilst not intended as legal advice, we hope this guide can be an engaging, helpful, factual resource for both those who have experienced trafficking or [...]

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Refugee Council guides in English, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto and Kurdish 

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Refugee Council guides in English, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto and Kurdish 

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https://media.refugeecouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/05142739/Banking-Guide-for-Refugees-Arabic.pdf

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Support for refugees to get into higher education (London Based)

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Support for refugees to get into higher education (London Based)

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https://reconnectonline.org.uk/

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"The project had given me a new life and lots of options. Teaching is an inspirational career and very rewarding one. I am currently teaching GCSE biology, A Level biology and BTEC Level 3 applied science at a London College. Had the chance to be a Course Team Leader for 6 months. I am enjoying every minute of it."

Reconnect - Preparation for Higher Education Programme

This project aims is to enable refugees to progress into higher education and teaching. The project supports prospective trainees with coursefees and cost of travel.
It costs: £1,200 to enable a Refugee/Asylum Seeker to undertake the programme. This include guidance, course fees and cost of travel.

Pathways into Teaching for Refugee

This project aims to enable refugees to undertake PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education at UCL Institute of Education. The project supports prospective trainees with course fees and cost of travel.
It costs: £11,000 to enable a Refugee to undertake a teacher training course. This include guidance, tuition fees, Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health Checks fees and cost of travel.

Refugees into teaching: Skills Transfer to Ethiopia

This project aims to make a contribution to improving the quality of education in Samara University/ Ethiopia through the transfer of skills of UK based teachers with refugee backgrounds who have benefited high quality training at UCL Institute of Education, and have been supported by ReConnect.

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reconnectonline - Supporting Refugees into Higher Education

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"The project had given me a new life and lots of options. Teaching is an inspirational career and very rewarding one. I am currently teaching GCSE biology, A Level biology and BTEC Level 3 applied science at a London College. Had the chance to be a Course Team Leader for 6 months.

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Mindfulness for refugees and asylum seekers 

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Mindfulness for refugees and asylum seekers 

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https://sussexmindfulnesscentre.nhs.uk/practice/mindfulness-for-underrepresented/mindfulness-for-refugees-and-asylum-seekers/

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We are offering free mindfulness training to help improve the wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness can help you find balance through life's ups and downs. It helps you learn to respond more skilfully when difficulties arise.

Mindfulness training can help you learn to pay attention in the present moment, and therefore spend less time dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. It helps you begin to notice habits of the mind that might not be helpful. The more you can spot these habits and patterns the more you have a choice about how to respond, and find more stability.

How can mindfulness help?

Research has shown that mindfulness can help reduce stress, decrease incidence of depression, improve memory, and strengthen your relationships. It can help to improve sleep, immune function and wellbeing.

However, no approach is right for everyone. So there's an opportunity to try mindfulness and see if it's right for you. To do this you can attend the first few sessions before deciding if you want to continue.

What's involved in mindfulness training?

We offer mindfulness in the form of weekly mindfulness sessions (usually two hour sessions weekly for ten weeks) for between 12-20 people. There are a limited number of places so you will need to let us know if you are planning to attend. The first four sessions are drop-in, and from then the group is closed. The training is offered in a safe friendly space, by an experienced teacher, and free materials and downloadable mindfulness practices will be provided.

When is the next course?

We will be running a 10-week women-only course for refugees and asylum seekers, starting on 6 January between 10 am and12 noon in the centre of Brighton. Please see a small poster here. You can try the first few sessions to see if mindfulness is for you. The next course will be for both women and men. Check back here to see dates.

Trauma informed mindfulness training for refugees

We will be using a curriculum that has been produced with refugees in the UK, so it is sensitive to the experience and traumas you may have faced. We can make further adaptations depending on your needs.

Who are we?

We are one of the leading mindfulness centres in the UK. We have taught thousands of people since our first training sessions in 2004.

More information

If you'd like to know more, please contact Susie at Susie.Muszynska@spft.nhs.uk at the Sussex Mindfulness Centre.

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Mindfulness for refugees and asylum seekers

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We are offering free mindfulness training to help improve the wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees. Mindfulness can help you find balance through life's ups and downs. It helps you learn to respond more skilfully when difficulties arise.

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Ukrainian Guide for Parents (Secondary School)

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Ukrainian Guide for Parents (Secondary School)

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Ukrainian Guide for Parents (Primary School)

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Ukrainian Guide for Parents (Primary School)

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https://www.bristolrefugeerights.org/how-we-help/education/#:~:text=Bristol%20Refugee%20Rights%20delivers%20non,to%20Entry%20Level%202)%3B

https://leb.community/

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Early Years

Support for Families Bristol Refugee Rights members with children can request support with a range of issues. By email: info@bristolrefugeerights.org By phone: Call/Text/ WhatsApp 07526 352 353. The times we...

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English classes for asylum seekers and refuges - Bristol Refugee Rights

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Support for Families Bristol Refugee Rights members with children can request support with a range of issues. By email: info@bristolrefugeerights.org By phone: Call/Text/ WhatsApp 07526 352 353. The times we...

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https://esol.excellencegateway.org.uk/content/learners/english-for-work

https://esol.excellencegateway.org.uk/content/learners/uk-life/english-in-my-home

https://www.englishclub.com/esl-worksheets/conversation/

https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)

https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-worksheets/search

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The main aim of these Talking Point conversation worksheets is to promote English fluency by presenting students with stimulating discussion questions. All Talking Point conversation worksheets are designed for use with students who have reached Pre-Intermediate level, though they are also very successful with Intermediate and more advanced students. Each Talking Point worksheet is accompanied by Teacher's Notes with answers.

You can use these worksheets in conjunction with the EnglishClub Talking Point Discussion and Homework forums, which your students can find via the Talking Point icons on the EnglishClub home page.

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The main aim of these Talking Point conversation worksheets is to promote English fluency by presenting students with stimulating discussion questions. All Talking Point conversation worksheets are designed for use with students who have reached Pre-Intermediate level, though they are also very successful with Intermediate and more advanced students.

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https://esol.excellencegateway.org.uk/content/learners/uk-life/english-in-my-home

https://esol.excellencegateway.org.uk/content/learners/english-for-work

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/getting-started-free-resources?promo_id=fr&promo_name=free-resources&promo_creative=free-resources-cta&promo_position=sitewide

https://www.usingenglish.com/

https://www.ole.bris.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/courses/Study_Skills
/grammar-and-punctuation/index.html

www.test-english.com

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Improve your English with our free resources

Learn English online using our high-quality resources to improve your English. This website is created for adult learners of English by the British Council, the world's English teaching experts.

Learn English every day

Whether you have ten minutes or an hour to practise your English, you'll find a wide variety of learning materials to help you make progress and improve your language skills. All the activities on the LearnEnglish website are designed for self-study to support your learning, with interactive exercises and worksheets.

Practising little and often is the best way to improve your English, so come back regularly to see what's new on the site.

Take our free online test

Start by taking our online level test to give you an approximate indication of your English proficiency level. You can then use the result to help you find content on our website that is appropriate for your English language ability.
Discover your level
Be part of the LearnEnglish community

We run live, online teacher-led events where you can listen, learn and practise with other learners. Get help from our online community to help you reach your goals.
Find out more
Improve your English skills

Improving your skills will help you use English more effectively so that you can do well in your studies, get ahead at work and confidently communicate in English in your free time.

Practise and improve your speaking, listening, reading and writing

Learning materials organised by language level (CEFR A1-C1)

Variety of types of texts, recordings and videos

Go to Skills
Practise your English grammar

By revising and practising your grammar, you will increase your accuracy and confidence in English and improve your overall language level.

Clear and simple grammar lessons

Check your understanding and practise using English grammar

A grammar reference helps to explain the verb tenses and grammar rules

Go to Grammar
Increase your English vocabulary

Learning new words helps you to increase your understanding and express yourself clearly in English.

Learn new words at your level

Vocabulary organised by topic

Practise spelling and using the new words in a variety of contexts

Go to Vocabulary
Develop your business English language skills

Studying business English allows you to develop English language skills that are useful in many working environments.

Wide variety of activities to develop your interview skills, write clear emails in English and learn about up-to-date business topics and issues

Specially designed tasks to help you understand the topic and use the language skills that you have learned

Go to Business English
Improve your general English

Improving your knowledge of everyday English helps give you the confidence you need for socialising with friends and colleagues.

Wide range of reading, listening and language practice activities

Short, interesting articles for you to read about special days and global issues

YouTube videos about a wide range of topics, with learning materials to improve your comprehension and check your understanding

Go to General English
Find online English courses to suit your learning style

Whether you want to improve your English reading and writing skills, learn to speak English more fluently or simply develop your English vocabulary, we offer a range of flexible and personalised online courses to suit your unique style of learning.

Choose between self-study or teacher-led learning and discover a wide variety of exclusive learning materials to support your study of the English language. Experience live, online group classes, personalised learning pathways, detailed progress tracking and valuable feedback.
Find out more
Find courses for your children

Discover our English courses for children of all ages, developed by our team of English language experts.

Study with our LearnEnglish apps

We have a selection of apps for both adult learners and primary-age and pre-school children.
Find out more
Follow us on social media

Follow us on our Facebook and Instagram where we share lots of interesting videos and links to help you with your learning. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel too!

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Learn English online using our high-quality resources to improve your English. This website is created for adult learners of English by the British Council, the world's English teaching experts. Whether you have ten minutes or an hour to practise your English, you'll find a wide variety of learning materials to help you make progress and improve your language skills.

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_Learn English at home activities (A4 Document) (3)

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_Learn English at home activities (A4 Document) (2)

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A resource to support human rights advocacy

Room to Heal supports refugees and people seeking asylum who are torture survivors to rebuild their lives in exile, through an integrated programme of therapeutic and casework assistance in the context of a community of survivors. Room to Heal are based in London.

Room to Heal worked with BIHR to develop accessible human rights information for Room to Heal members and staff so that they feel confident to use the language of human rights in their interactions with public services.

Click the buttons below to access our guides for refugees, people seeking asylum and those supporting them in English, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish and Tigrinya.

Please note our English guide contains extra pages, including example letters for caseworkers.

The Solution Statement

At the Define workshop Room to Heal created the following solution statement:

As a caseworker of a therapeutic community supporting migrants who have survived torture and violence.

I want to better understand the language of the Human Rights Act so that we can better advocate for our members when they ask us to, but also to provide information directly to members.

So that they may advocate for themselves when they feel able to, or so that we can do this when they ask us to, in order to achieve treatment by public services.

The Process

Room to Heal staff gathered the main issues that come up whilst supporting members. These include:

How can the HR act be used to advocate that members are relocated to safe and suitable accommodation?

How can the HR act be used when advocating for members when asking the council to relocate them?

How can members use the human rights act to advocate for better medical care? Sometimes, their concerns are dismissed, they are discriminated against and not listened to.

BIHR then organised mapping workshop to upskill Room to Heal staff on the Human Rights Act and how they can use it to support members. Based on the information gathered during this workshop BIHR and Room to Heal worked together to create a resource for staff so they can use the Human Rights Act in their advocacy work.

This resource was then tested with a focus group of representatives from organisations from all around the UK who support refugees and people seeking asylum. Using their feedback, BIHR created a final guide that has now been translated into six further languages.

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Co-Design a Human Right Solution: Room to Heal

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A resource to support human rights advocacy Room to Heal supports refugees and people seeking asylum who are torture survivors to rebuild their lives in exile, through an integrated programme of therapeutic and casework assistance in the context of a community of survivors. Room to Heal are based in London.

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Refugee Education UK | REUK | Refugee Education

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REUK (formerly RSN) equips young refugees to build positive futures by thriving in education.

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Student Action for Refugees (STAR) has developed a searchable database of university scholarships in the UK for people seeking asylum, refugees and other people seeking sanctuary. Sign up to their Equal Access mailing list to keep aloft of new additions. Find out more.

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Videos on pregnancy screenings in community languages

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Videos on pregnancy screenings in community languages

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Screening tests for you and your baby on Vimeo

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Join the web's most supportive community of creators and get high-quality tools for hosting, sharing, and streaming videos in gorgeous HD with no ads.

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Thrive London - Support for Displaced Ukrainians 

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Thrive London - Support for Displaced Ukrainians 

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Workers Rights Leaflets in 19 languages 

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Workers Rights Leaflets in 19 languages 

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Workers' Rights leaflets are available in 19 languages, listed below.

We also have Help Them leaflets which were introduced at our conference.

HELP Them leaflets can be downloaded here.

If you would like printed copies of any of these, please email communications@gla.gov.uk or telephone 0345 602 5020.

Please be aware that due to the coronavirus we are currently unable to send out hard copies.

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Workers' Rights leaflets created by the GLAA are available in 20 different languages. Download them or order hard copies here.

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Чек-лист для працівників

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Чек-лист для працівників

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Mental Health Guide for refugees - and people supporting them

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Final - Afghan Refugees - Getting the Emotional Support You Need Briefing

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Final - Ukrainian Refugees - Getting the Emotional Support You Need

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Контролен списък за работници

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Контролен списък за работници

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Our Vision

Breaking Barriers enables refugees in London to acquire the knowledge, confidence and experience they need to secure stable and fulfilling jobs. We offer bespoke, intensive and flexible employment support to assist individuals to integrate in the UK and create fulfilling lives.

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Our Vision Breaking Barriers enables refugees in London to acquire the knowledge, confidence and experience they need to secure stable and fulfilling jobs. We offer bespoke, intensive and flexible employment support to assist individuals to integrate in the UK and create fulfilling lives.

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Below you will be able to find a series of resources addressing common questions including how to register with a GP, COVID 19 and the vaccine as well as keeping young people healthy. Please use the filters to search documents by keyword, narrow by topic or select your language or type you are looking for. For the Vaccine Confidence toolkit please click here. Language and Search

©2021 Doctors of the World UK
Registered company 3483008 | Charity 1067406
29th floor, One Canada Square, London E14 5AA
+44 (0)20 7167 5789

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TRANSLATED HEALTH INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS - Doctors of the World

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Below you will be able to find a series of resources addressing common questions including how to register with a GP, COVID 19 and the vaccine as well as keeping young people healthy. Please use the filters to search documents by keyword, narrow by topic or select your language or type you are looking for.

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Healthcare information in lots of languages:

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Healthcare information in lots of languages:

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TRANSLATED HEALTH INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS - Doctors of the World

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Below you will be able to find a series of resources addressing common questions including how to register with a GP, COVID 19 and the vaccine as well as keeping Read More

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At Room to Heal, they offer support and refuge to people who have had to flee persecution, torture and indefinite detention.

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Referral Information

Make a referral
Room to Heal is a small therapeutic community. We are currently open for referrals for a one year therapy group that starts this summer 2022 (including some individual therapy before joining the group). We also have some space in our longer term groups. If you have any questions please email info@roomtoheal.org
If you would like to refer someone to Room to Heal, who you think would benefit from joining our community and participating in a therapy group (currently online), then please read our Referrals Leaflet and fill out our Referral and Consent Form.

Please then return the completed form to Camilla at info@roomtoheal.org. For further information please call us on 07515 461745.
Please ensure you read our referral guidelines and requirements outlined in the first page of our referral form.
Refer yourself

If you are a refugee or an asylum seeker in need of therapeutic support, and would like to join Room to Heal, please fill in the referral form and consent form above. If you feel that you need support with this, please call Clinical Administrator on 0785 7061173 on Wednesday and we will do our best to support you with the form over the phone. When you have completed these, please send the forms to us by email to info@roomtoheal.org.

Capacity and assessment process
Due to the coronavirus some of our work is carried out remotely and our groups are currently online.
We aim to see all suitable referrals for two initial appointments with one of our therapists. This is to establish whether Room to Heal is a suitable environment for the person referred.

If the person referred is suitable and willing to join our remote therapeutic support group following the assessment stage, they will be then be offered six individual sessions to prepare to join the group, following which they will become a member of Room to Heal. When someone becomes a member they will also be able to access our social activities. This process normally takes up to 3 months. Please note the next time-limited therapy group starts in summer 2022, therefore there may be a delay in joining a group after this process.

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Room to Heal is a small therapeutic community. We are currently open for referrals for a one year therapy group that starts this summer 2022 (including some individual therapy before joining the group). We also have some space in our longer term groups.

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Multicultural Employability Support Hub (MESH)

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Multicultural Employability Support Hub (MESH)

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MESH – Multicultural Employability Support Hub –  is a service supporting people from ethnically diverse backgrounds in Brighton and Hove. They support people to move towards and into employment by developing skills, volunteering and accessing training.

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"Cicely helped me a lot with my personal statement and CV. With her help, I got offers from several universities."

"I have more ideas; I have already started my pop-up business and this support gives me the strength. It gives my dreams back. I'm very enthusiastic to do more."

You will be supported by Cicely or Yassin on your pathway to work and training

MESH is funded by the Department of Work and Pensions and supported by Brighton and Hove City Council

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Multicultural Employability Support Hub - Trust for Developing Communities

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We offer free information, advice, and support to: Gain Confidence Move into work Access training Find a volunteer role Get work experience Improve your English Increase your financial skills Develop your digital skills Receive financial help with courses, childcare, and travel costs

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Voices in Exile have a fantastic resource about services in Brighton & Hove, available here