Resource

Berhanu,* a client of the Helen Bamber Foundation (HBF), was scared that his older son Dawit would be targeted by the same armed group in Ethiopia that had brutally tortured him for months. Berhanu was recognised as a refugee in the UK and sponsored a family reunion application, hoping that he could bring his son to safety. But while he was waiting for a decision, Dawit was kidnapped by the armed group, leaving Berhanu devastated.

Sadly, Berhanu is not the only client of HBF to have experienced this tragedy. We have supported at least three clients whose children died, in some cases mere days, before they were able to be reunited. Our clients’ children and families face significant risk while continuing to live in conflict zones around the world, with no parental or family support. Their relatives would likely be recognised as refugees under international law. However, In the absence of any UK refugee visas, and with the number of refugees brought to safety through resettlement schemes dramatically dropping to their lowest since 2003, refugee family reunion remains one of the few viable options for people to reach safety in the UK, particularly women and children. Of the family reunion visas granted in the year ending June 2025, 1,280 (93%) were given to women and children – more than half to children.

Yet, in September the government announced that refugee family reunion applications would be suspended, and by the suggestion that the government would look to end automatic family reunion rights for those granted asylum in the UK. Those with refugee status will now only be able to apply for their family to join them if they meet requirements under existing family migration rules. These routes, however, have much more stringent criteria, including income and accommodation requirements and eye-watering fees. They require legal advice which is outside the scope of legal aid and so requires extra applications to acquire. Additional hurdles cause additional delays, and delays in this context are not just time-consuming - they can be a matter of life and death.

Our research, and everyday interaction with our clients, shows the profound psychological distress experienced by refugees separated from their families, and the emotional toll of fearing for their loved ones’ safety whilst feeling unable to protect them. As one of our Ambassadors for Change (survivors working together to campaign for better support for refugees) explained:

“The harm my family has suffered is both physical and psychological… I live in constant anguish knowing they face daily threats and extreme hardship. The emotional toll on me has been enormous: my mental health has deteriorated, I suffer from severe anxiety and depression, and I now have high blood pressure caused by ongoing stress and worry for my family’s safety.”

Cutting off this vital legal path for families risks driving refugees toward dangerous routes, such as small-boat crossings. In addition, it will have a devastating impact on the mental health of refugees in the UK, who have already been recognised by the government as people in need of protection. Our briefing sets out how changes to refugee family reunion will impact the survivors with whom we work. 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 the integration of refugees into British society. 

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*name has been changed