Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILtR) means that there is no time limit for how long you can remain in the UK. It means that you are entitled to access benefits, education, healthcare and other rights of UK Citizens. It is possible to apply for Citizenship after you have lived here for 5 years. More details…
Stage of the process: We are preparing for a family to arrive
Pre-Arrival Contact Guidance
The UK may be very different to the countries that refugee families arrive from, and so, as much as families are relieved and happy to hear they’re going to be resettled here, the idea can also be a little nerve-wracking too. By enabling families to make contact with the Community Sponsorship group prior to their…
Accessing digital services
Accessing services and details online will be essential for the family you support. From registering for and managing their benefits through to connecting with friends and family across the world, developing IT skills will only be helpful. We like to remind Groups that success in Community Sponsorship is when resettled families are able to do…
Arrival planning guidance
The day you’ve been planning for is getting very close! Here, we share what other groups have done or thought about during the arrival period. Managing the arrival of the family you will be supporting is usually one of the most exciting parts of your Community Sponsorship journey, as it marks the time when all…
Experts by Experience: Khadeja’s resettlement experience
One question that we’re often asked in Reset’s Community Sponsorship training sessions is: “What do refugees think their life in the UK will be like before they’re resettled?” We usually answer these questions with a range of anecdotes but with a strong reminder that refugees will have a breadth of opinions, worldviews and expectations of…
Introduction to cultural awareness
Understanding the culture of the refugees your Community Sponsorship Group are supporting is very important in the process of building rapport with the refugee family. Cultural awareness can include so many different areas – from understanding the family’s preferences or taboos to being able to help them celebrate their religious festivals. In this resource we…
Preparing Families for the British education system
Although all schools, Community Sponsorship Groups, parents and children are different, there are many similarities in the way in which school impacts on all families in the UK. Whilst Community Sponsorship Groups will have identified those within the team who have experience in education to prepare schools and support a family, it is important to…
Reset’s Introductory Guide for Refugees
Before arriving in the UK, resettled refugees receive cultural orientation training from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The family will also be given a book that explains life in the UK called the Welcome to the UK booklet; there are also similar booklets available in other languages. The training and the booklet explain what…
Safeguarding briefing
Safeguarding is about protecting others as well as yourself from harm. As part of your application, the Home Office will expect you to submit a safeguarding policy. If you have another organisation acting as your Lead Sponsor, they can assist you with this, and may require you to follow their own safeguarding policy. The Home…
Welcome Pack
As part of your application form, you will be asked to prepare a Welcome Pack for the family. Below is a list of suggested documents you could include. You may wish to add, remove or amend the title of any of these documents – it’s really about what you as a group would like to…
Welcome to the UK booklet
Groups have found it useful to refer to this booklet and the information it contains to remind the family they are supporting about life in the UK. This is provided to refugees before they arrive in the UK, and should be provided in hard copy to your group. The booklet was created in 2018/9 by the Home…
Addressing misinformation about life in the UK
Moving to a new country without speaking the language, knowing the house you’ll move to and having only a vague idea of the support you’ll receive can be a terrifying prospect. It is not surprising that many refugees decide to seek information on what to expect in the UK wherever they can. Those who can,…
Changes to BRPs
The Biometric Residency Permit is the ID card that will be issued to each family member once they have arrived in the UK. It is the size of a bank card, which can be used as proof of identity, and to confirm the right to work or study in the UK and the right to access…
Common Arabic words and phrases
When the family you support first arrives in the UK, it’s unlikely that they will speak English well enough to communicate with your Community Sponsorship Group without an interpreter present. Although working with interpreters, especially in the early days, will be key in supporting the family to access essential services and learn new things about…
Experts by Experience: Abdullah’s resettlement experience
One question that we’re often asked in Reset’s Community Sponsorship training sessions is: “What do refugees think their life in the UK will be like before they’re resettled?” We usually answer these questions with a range of anecdotes but with a strong reminder that refugees will have a breadth of opinions, worldviews and expectations of…
Experts by Experience: Mohammed’s resettlement experience
One question that we’re often asked in Reset’s Community Sponsorship training sessions is: “What do refugees think their life in the UK will be like before they’re resettled?” We usually answer these questions with a range of anecdotes but with a strong reminder that refugees will have a breadth of opinions, worldviews and expectations of…
Food, furniture and household items
Community Sponsorship Groups will need to provide equipment, groceries and other basic items in the property ahead of a refugee family’s arrival. Like with anyone, there will be personal and cultural preferences around food and household items, and you will want to strike a balance between giving refugees choices about what’s in their home, and…
In country cultural training
All refugees arriving through the Community Sponsorship programme will receive preparation training in their country of asylum prior to arriving in the UK. This training is run by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), takes place across 3 days and is delivered through a variety of methods. You will find it useful to understand what the family…
Opening a bank account
The resettled family you support will be required to register with the Jobcentre Plus within three working days of arrival in order to claim their benefits. In order to receive benefits, refugees must have a UK bank account. However, newly arrived refugees often lack the specific documents required to open a bank account such as proof of…
Preparing accommodation
You will need to obtain accommodation that is of a good and adequate standard and available at a sustainable cost for the family. The Home Office will need to be satisfied that it is suitable, and your Local Authority may wish to inspect it before they give their consent to your application. You will have…
Record keeping
When you are supporting a refugee family to build a life in the UK, your Group will need to keep records on some of the work that you carry out to support them. It’s important to find a system that is manageable and appropriate for the task at hand. This resource suggests which records to…