Today [12th May] the Government has published it’s new immigration white paper – Restoring control over the Immigration System – laying out a blueprint for reform to the UK’s immigration system. Whilst the focus of the white paper is on curbing net migration through the tightening up of legal migration routes to the UK, at its heart are principles that undermine the rights and dignity of migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum, as well as community resilience and cohesion.   Bridget Young, NACCOM’s Director, responds;  After nearly two decades of supporting people who have been left destitute and homeless [...]

“NACCOM is not just an organisation or a network. It’s a movement; a community of passionate individuals and incredible organisations committed to making real change”. As Bridget Young, NACCOM’s Director, opened our Annual Conference on 9 April in Manchester, every single person in the room helped us to collectively mark a significant milestone – our 10th anniversary as a registered charity. Working towards a future without destitution and homelessness has been our common goal since our journey began nearly 20 years ago, also in Manchester, initially as an informal network. Our annual conference was an opportunity for our members [...]

Since the 2024 General Election, we’ve seen a sharp escalation in enforcement activity aimed at increasing returns, with the Government boasting that they have achieved the highest removal rates of migrant and diaspora communities since 2018. According to their most recent statistics, the Government has removed 24,000 people since the general election with plans to spend between £179m and £392m over seven years on a “comprehensive service” to return those with negative decisions on their asylum claims.   Neglected by these figures and headlines is the reality of what this process entails, and the harm caused to individuals targeted. One [...]