Resource

The suspension of refugee family reunion and proposed changes risk cutting off this vital legal path for families and driving refugees toward dangerous routes, such as small-boat crossings. In addition, they will have a devastating impact on the mental health of refugees in the UK. The government has repeatedly stated its commitment to preserving family unity, but these changes will only serve to keep families separated, worsening trauma, increasing isolation and preventing integration.

Despite going through a complex two-stage system, in 2024 only 4% of non-British nationals who were confirmed to be victims of trafficking were given permission to stay in the UK on that basis. That’s only 176 out of 4,240 people. Over 4,000 adults were refused permission to stay (known as ‘leave to remain’), despite many needing to do so for their safety and recovery and to assist with the prosecution of their traffickers. The situation is no better for children. The government's claim that people are “misusing” modern slavery and trafficking protections to remain in the UK could not be further from the truth.

The Ambassadors for Change, are survivors of torture, trafficking and persecution who have come to the UK in search of safety. Each of us carries scars — physical, emotional and psychological — from the violence we endured and from the long, punishing asylum process. Some of us are still waiting for decisions, some of us have refugee status, but we are united by survival and by the determination to speak out. This briefing sets out what needs to change to ensure the implementation of survivors' rights and participation.