Asylum Matters

Asylum Matters works in partnership locally and nationally to improve the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum through social and political change. By mobilising and coordinating local, regional and national advocacy work, we aim to increase the impact of campaigns to secure improvements to asylum policy and practice. We are based in the North West, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, North East and Wales, as well as London, but we work with partners across the whole of the UK. Since it was established 2016, Asylum Matters has played a significant role in bringing about positive change for refugees and people seeking sanctuary in the UK. We co-lead the award-winning Lift the Ban coalition campaign, that brings together over 200 organisations, from charities and think tanks to trade unions and local authorities, calling for the right to work for people seeking asylum. Together with high-profile national campaigning organisations, we work with front-line organisations to expose and address a range of issues that affect the rights and wellbeing of people in the asylum system, such as housing standards and asylum support. We are a catalyst and convenor of collaboration and joint action. Our work helps strengthen collective advocacy on asylum reform and bridges the gap between policy and the reality on the ground.