BATH, United Kingdom — Every year, tens of thousands of asylum-seekers arrive in the UK in search of a better life. In the year ending March 2026, 93,525 people claimed asylum in the UK.
People leave their homelands due to conflict, war, violence, persecution, oppression, forced conscription, climate change, poverty and lack of opportunity.
The data shows that the 10 countries producing the largest numbers of refugees are all affected by either ongoing conflict or significant human rights violations. This reflects a broader picture of global injustice that demands an international response.
Challenges After Arrival
Even after arriving in a safe country, asylum-seekers and refugees often struggle to access their basic rights and needs, reinforcing poverty, discrimination and inequality among displaced communities.
In the year ending March 2026, 38,980 people seeking asylum arrived in the UK by small boat.
Upon arrival, asylum-seekers wait months or years for a decision by the Home Office while their claim is decided. During this time, they are placed in hostels, single hotel rooms or poor and unsatisfactory housing where they frequently report problems with mold and rodent infestation.
More recently, the government has begun moving people to military barracks in an attempt to phase out hotel accommodation for asylum-seekers before 2029.
Financial Strain
Asylum-seekers in the UK are generally not allowed to work and receive about £7 a day to afford food, toiletries, clothes and travel while their claim is processed.
This daily allowance falls drastically short of typical living costs in the UK, creating severe financial pressure for asylum-seekers.
Given that many asylum-seekers remain trapped in the asylum system for years, this creates enormous financial pressure for families surviving on a minimal allowance and pushes many into poverty.
Even when asylum-seekers are granted refugee status, the difficulties of displacement do not stop. Refugees are given only 42 days to secure new housing before asylum support ends, placing enormous pressure on refugees who are suddenly forced to navigate an unfamiliar system and rebuild their lives.
Local Support Efforts
In light of these challenges, a local volunteer-led charity in the small city of Bath in the UK emerged with a mission “to facilitate the settlement and the path to independence of those who come to us seeking refuge.”
Founded in 2015, Bath Welcomes Refugees (BWR) began as an effort to support those in need by a handful of concerned local community members. Since then, it has grown into a flourishing organization supported by over 200 volunteers with a shared mission to help refugees and asylum-seekers feel welcome in Bath and provide them with key resources which will allow them to rebuild their lives.
BWR Asylum and Refugee Support Coordinator Ahmed Abu Aisha explains that refugees and asylum-seekers in the UK experience numerous interconnected barriers which exclude them from accessing essential rights and services. One important but often overlooked difficulty is language and cultural barriers that make it exceptionally hard for refugees to understand their rights and apply for basic services. This makes essential tasks such as opening a bank account, finding employment, applying for healthcare, enrolling in education, applying for welfare benefits or securing accommodation and housing support extremely difficult. These difficulties are further compounded by financial barriers which create additional pressure for families who may have limited or no savings following their displacement.
“At BWR, we recognize these challenges and connect refugees and asylum-seekers with essential services and resources to help them overcome these barriers. Through key provisions including social support, financial, physical and psychological assistance, resettlement support, tuition, English language support and assistance in finding accommodation, BWR supports refugees to rebuild their lives.”
Today, it is the city’s primary volunteer-led organization supporting refugees and asylum-seekers in the Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) area and has supported over 800 people to settle across BANES since its founding.
Final Thoughts
Despite the scale and complexity of the challenges faced by refugees and asylum-seekers, the work of BWR shows that meaningful change can be driven by individuals at the local level. Through practical support, advocacy and friendship, BWR helps refugees and asylum-seekers not only to survive but to rebuild independent and fulfilling lives of their own and flourish within a society to which they feel they belong.
– Ameerah Mai Lebaqa
Ameerah is based in Bath, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr