Resources

For far too long, the Home Office has been detaining survivors of trafficking and modern slavery in ‘immigration removal centres’ after they have been wrongly convicted for offences their traffickers forced them to commit or after they have been found not to have permission to stay in the UK. Although most are later released (their detention having served no purpose), people can be held indefinitely. The harm this causes is profound and often irreparable.

The number of survivors of trafficking in immigration detention has increased dramatically in recent years. This briefing outlines recommendations to ensure survivors of trafficking are able to access the support and protection that they need for them to recover and break the cycle of trafficking, and for the UK to meet its international obligations.

This proposal looks at the challenges facing survivors of torture and trafficking living in London who are reliant on Home Office asylum support, and calls for the provision of free bus travel within London zones 1-6 to those seeking asylum.

Our new report with Humans for Rights Network (HFRN) and reveals that increasing numbers of men placed in RAF Wethersfield by the Home Office are self-harming and attempting suicide.

Our new report with Asylum Aid shows the mental and physical health impact of people seeking asylum being forced to live in hotels for long periods of time.

The Ambassadors for Change is a group of survivors with experience of the UK asylum system who campaign to ensure London is welcoming and fair for other people seeking safety. The Ambassadors for Change collectively decided to focus their advocacy targets on the standards of asylum accommodation and the impact it has on mental health in London.

The Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention Statutory Guidance (AAR SG), a policy meant to protect vulnerable people in immigration detention, was significantly watered down by the government in April 2024. As experts in the field, we are concerned that the changes will lead to vulnerable people remaining in detention for longer, exposing them to increased risk of harm.

On 20 March 2024 the government laid two 'Special Development Orders' (SDOs) granting temporary planning permission for the accommodation of people seeking asylum at two former RAF sites at Wethersfield in Braintree and Scampton near Lincoln.

The Gaza Families Reunited campaign (@GazaFamReunited on Twitter/X) coordinated a joint letter to the Home Secretary, in consultation with migrants’ rights (including refugee rights) organisations as well as Palestinians seeking to bring their family members to safety from Gaza.

This submission looks at the consultation on reforms to social housing allocations, proposed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.

A key component of HBF's holistic model of specialist care is legal protection. This response outlines the problems we see and the key changes needed to ensure people seeking asylum and survivors of trafficking can access legal advice and representation.

HBF and Asylum Aid submitted evidence to the UN Human Rights Committee as part of its examination of the UK under the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The submission focuses on the UK government's upholding of the ICCPR with respect to survivors of trafficking, refugees and those seeking asylum and stateless persons.