Conflict, persecution, environmental degradation, political crises and economic inequalities have fuelled exile and migration across the globe. Although the majority of refugees do not end up in Europe, deepening and extended conflicts and instability in countries such as Syria and Afghanistan have caused refugees and displaced people to come to Europe in numbers not seen since the Second World War.

At the same time, the combined effect of poor administration of the asylum and immigration system, and frequent legislative change by successive UK Governments since the nineties, has resulted in a rise in destitution for people subject to immigration control. Most recently, policies that seek to create a “hostile environment” for people seeking asylum and other migrants who have no clear documentation to prove their right to remain, continue to push thousands more people into destitution each year.