Asylum Support Appeals Project
Asylum Support Appeals Project (ASAP) is a national organisation and aims to prevent destitution amongst asylum seekers through the provision of free legal representation and advice and information about entitlement to asylum support, including the right to appeal when this support is refused or withdrawn.
Asylum support is the term used to describe the housing and benefits available to asylum seekers whilst their claim for asylum is being considered and to some failed asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected.
ASAP has been commissioned by London Councils to provide an advice and representation service relating to discrimination and tribunal cases under the legal and advice service priority area 46, 48 and 51. ASAP’s London Councils’ funded project builds up on its unique Duty Scheme service which runs 4 days a week and saw around 300 people last year (the tribunal sees about 2000 - 3000 cases p.a.).
Eiri Ohtani is the Director of ASAP’s expert service with lots of experience in the field. ASAP is the only group doing work around asylum support tribunal representation. “The specification is tailor made for us – this is exactly what we do” she says.
The organisation is based in Croydon, very close to the First–tier Tribunal (Asylum Support). Formerly known as the Asylum Support Adjudicator, the First–tier Tribunal Asylum Support (AS) was set up to consider appeals from decisions made by the UK Border Agency (UKBA).
Advice provision can be patchy and not consistent across London. ASAP is a member of BAMER Advice Network, which is facilitated and co-ordinated by adviceuk, and finds the meetings and support available invaluable.
“Everything has been quite smooth so far with London Councils commissioning process for us” says Eiri “it took a while to finalise the funding agreement with 2 months back and forth negotiation to get it absolutely right but grants officers have been very flexible – we hope it stays that way – but if monitoring becomes more onerous there will need to be a VSF response”.
The Legal Adviser for the project, Marie-Anne Fishwick, joined ASAP recently from the Refugee Unit at the Red Cross. Marie-Anne is co-ordinating the London Destitution Advice Network.The project benefits from her many years of experience of working with destitute asylum seekers in London.
The London Destitution Advice Network
What is LDAN?
LDAN (the London Destitution Advice Network) is an informal network of London based non-statutory organisations who work with destitute asylum seekers. At the moment, there are 27 organisations in the network.
LDAN aims to reduce the destitution of “failed” asylum seekers in London entitled to receive support from the UK Border Agency (part of the Home Office) or the local authorities. The network is facilitated by the Asylum Support Appeals Project who receives dedicated funding from the London Councils to carry out this work.
What LDAN does:
LDAN facilitates the sharing of expertise and skills between advice agencies, refugee community organisations and others working with destitute asylum seekers in London. We meet four times a year. The network also sends regular updates on recent changes to the asylum support system and other relevant information.
LDAN’s objectives:
· Identify agencies providing asylum support information, advice and/or advocacy for “failed” asylum seekers (both section 4 and community care support) in Greater London
· Identify areas where “failed” asylum seekers experience difficulties accessing advice and find solutions
· Share up-to-date information on different types of support and identify common difficulties to improve available destitution advice
· Facilitate better communication between advice agencies and develop an effective referrals network
· Identify common training needs for advice agencies and facilitate training
· Identify barriers preventing vulnerable “failed” asylum seekers getting support and find out what joint action can be taken to influence asylum support policy
· Give networks and service providers details of advice agencies providing asylum support advice to “failed” asylum seekers in London
LDAN would like to invite all London Council funded organisations who work with this group to join the network. If you are interested in doing so, please contact Marie-Anne Fishwick at Marie-Anne@asaproject.org.uk or 020 8686 1888.
More information on the ASAP website.
this page last updated 28th April 2009