The Specialist Advice Team provides specialist advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees through complex casework.
Our main areas of work are:
– resettlement support for newly recognised refugees
– post family reunion support
– welfare rights and benefits
– homelessness and housing
– complex asylum support issues
– access to health and social care
– access to education and employment
– support for families with no recourse to public funds
– support for survivors of domestic or racial abuse
– support for LGBTQI+ individuals
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clients supported in 2023/24
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clients helped with housing-related issues
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families reunited through the Family Reunion Scheme
Case Study
A client was referred to NNRF by the British Red Cross at a very difficult time in his life. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given limited leave to remain on human rights grounds so that he could get treatment for his illness. Having terminal cancer, and undergoing chemotherapy during the COVID pandemic meant he was clinically extremely vulnerable and had to shield whilst living in shared NASS accommodation.
His specialist advice caseworker helped him book transport to his hospital appointments. Through contacting the Home Office, we managed to get him a mobile biometrics appointment to get his biometric residence permit, to avoid him travelling to Sheffield for this during lockdown. Once he had his permit, we helped him open a bank account and apply for benefits. There were long delays with his benefit payments due to the Job Centre refusing to accept he was terminally ill. This resulted in us consulting Bhatia Best solicitors, who successfully challenged the Job Centre decision. Once he received his discontinuation letter, he was then referred to Broxtowe Housing Solutions who, due to advocacy from the specialist advice team, accommodated him in an independent living complex. He is now living there comfortably whilst managing his illness.
I have learnt so much about the client group in general, about the whole immigration process. I can transfer this new knowledge to any future role I undertake within social work. The clients were also great to work with, I loved being able to empower people to take steps towards reaching their outcomes.
Louise, Social work student
‘A thousand thanks wouldn’t be enough!’
“I am very happy with the service. Every time I go there, they always resolve my issue for example when I needed a solicitor, with benefits and housing when I got my status. They never turned me down. There is not a time that I go there that I don’t get help. Before I got my status I was refused. I didn’t understand the letter from my solicitor and I was very worried. When I went to the Refugee Forum, they explained it all to me. They told me the reasons why and broke everything down to me so I understood. They helped me with a solicitor too. When I got my refugee status I got a caseworker at the Forum and she is very good. She helps me every time I have a problem. She always explained the steps I need to take and what will happen next. She carried me through the process.”