29 October 2015

Current Understanding of the Refugee situation in Exeter & Devon

  • The Home Office has confirmed that at some date in the near future, Exeter and possibly other Devon District Councils have been identified as ‘dispersal’ areas.
  • There are no dates for the above and no indication of the number of asylum seekers who may be coming.
  • Discussions with the Home Office are at their most advanced stage with Exeter CC.
  • Any dispersal programme will come with pre-arranged accommodation/housing negotiated with local authorities and organised by a Home Office private contractor (in this case ‘ClearSprings’) so at this stage and for any dispersal programme we are not calling for offers of accommodation from concerned citizens who want to help.
  • With any dispersal programme, the receiving local authority will have no control of who they will be receiving (ethnicity, country of origin, age etc). Asylum seekers may remain in HO funded accommodation from anything to 2 months to 2 years while their asylum applications are considered.
  • At the moment RSD is and has been taking calls from people offering accommodation as this may be a valuable offer for any current (ie emergency or critical housing needs) being faced by asylum seekers (ie not those from any dispersal programme or those awaiting Home Office accommodation) or by people who have recently gained refugee status. A list is being maintained. Issues of safeguarding are being addressed
  • As of now, nobody knows when or how many Syrians may or may not be re-located to Devon as a result of the Government’s stated commitment to take 20,000 from the camps in Lebanon and Jordan over the next 5 years (this will be under the already-existing Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme). If Devon receives any Syrians under this scheme, they will come as Refugees with Leave to Remain and are likely to have many additional needs for which a voluntary sector or church programme of support could match with the right information and training.
  • Refugee Support Devon has long experience of working with Asylum Seekers and Refugees stretching back to 2001 and will continue to be a source of advice and expertise for voluntary sector groups which are forming in different towns in Devon.
  • For RSD, funding has always been an issue, and raising our capacity to deal with both present and future needs is crucial. Any donations would be welcome.
  • RSD runs an emergency fund and a destitution project that is called upon on a weekly basis at out Tuesday and Thursday drop-in sessions.
  • RSD is part of the SW Migration partnership and is well-placed to provide information on new developments in the wider refugee context and how they may impact Devon.
  • For further information and support please (preferably) e-mail the office

Refugee Support (Devon) Ltd (formerly Refugee Support Group Devon) is a charitable company (No 7731995) registered with the Charity Commission (No 1143884)