We all want to feel like we belong.
And we all want to be free to live our lives together with our loved ones, and know that we can look after ourselves.
But some of us are denied any sense of security by a cruel immigration system that makes us wait for 10, 20 or even 30 years before we can get the right to stay here permanently. This system demands we go through a complicated and stressful visa application process again and again - even though our lives and futures are in the UK.
Home Office delays mean many of us are left waiting for months on end for the vital documents needed to work and keep living in our homes. As a result, we struggle to earn enough to live on or to rent a safe place to live. We’re prevented from living our lives by the Government’s hostile environment policies. And we have to find thousands of pounds every few years to renew our visas. Many of us are left struggling to make ends meet by these fees.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Right now, the Government is reviewing its immigration policies and could make some simple changes that would give many of us the certainty and security we need to live our lives and feel like we belong.
By allowing us to live our lives and feel like we belong, these changes would also bring wider benefits to our communities. These are important steps on the way to a world where all children and adults making their lives in the UK can feel safe, secure and like they belong.
Join the Stop the Waiting campaign now!
“We are here to work, to provide for ourselves and for our families, to be part of our communities, but having to pay these fees so often and for such a long time pushes us to the limit.”
Watch the Stop the Waiting film:
This campaign is co-produced by the NRPF Action Group, a group of migrants with lived experienced of hostile immigration policies, fighting for equality, justice and fairness for all, and Praxis.
Many migrant families are affected by the Government’s ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ policy, which means they’re denied access to almost all government support, even if they’re working for low pay or facing a crisis. This hurts children also, because it stops them getting support that’s meant to protect them from poverty. Ultimately, we want to see the end of No Recourse to Public Funds. Many people affected by this policy are the same people who have made their homes in the UK because of their family connections, or who have already lived here for a long time. We have to wait many years before we can get permission to stay permanently. And all the while, we have no access to the welfare safety net. It doesn’t take much for people in these circumstances to end up on the streets or in really difficult situations. That’s why we decided to campaign on this issue, so that everyone can stay in their homes, close to their loved ones, their families and with their children.
People on the 10 year route are subject to ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’. Learn more about the 10 year route to settlement:
“If we cannot live with peace, how can we raise balanced children, how can we protect them, how can we contribute to our communities? ”
I’d like to get more involved in the campaign - How do I do that?
Amazing! We need lots of people if we’re going to win. We need campaigners, neighbours, faith leaders, photographers, videographers, knitters, and prop makers. We need cynics, optimists and people who just care - whatever skills you have are appreciated. To get more involved in the campaign, drop an email to our Campaigns Coordinator Ella.Abraham@praxis.org.uk