This page is updated on an ongoing basis as the SLF develops and grant funding is awarded. It provides information about work funded by the SLF, any learning that arises during the development of the pilot project and any changes made to its operation. Periodic update bulletins will be available on the Downloads page.

To encourage applications and highlight the type of work that the SLF will fund, our Expert Panel has produced a Key Issues List. This identifies issues on which the Panel is keen to see applications. We have canvassed ideas for the list with others in the sector. The list, which will be updated as the pilot progresses, is available on the SLF Downloads page.

Grant Awards

January 2012

A grant of £3,375 was awarded to the Migrants’ Law Project (MLP) at Islington Law Centre, for a one month project. This covers the cost of bringing in a solicitor/legal caseworker to undertake preparatory work on a potential challenge relating to notice of removal in asylum and immigration cases, following the recent successful challenge to UKBA’s policy of giving little or no notice in certain categories of cases. The work will have a particular focus on the situation of children and young people. For further information about MLP visit: themigrantslawproject.org

A grant of £15,000, was awarded to Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID) for a six month project to support strategic legal work on the separation of families by immigration detention by challenging specific UK Border Agency policies and the legality of their practices. For further information about BID visit: www.biduk.org

February 2012

A grant of £28,703 has been awarded to Tower Hamlets Law Centre for an eight-month project. The grant will be used to conduct research into how far local authorities in London are complying with their statutory duties to provide care and support for refugees and asylum seekers (turning 18/21 years of age) under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and accompanying regulations. Working with the Brighter Futures self advocacy group amongst others, research will explore the provision of care and support, and seek to identify if there is any evidence of systemic failings by the local authorities, with a view to bringing a test case involving a group of clients, or alternatively, to make a complaint to the Ombudsman if the evidence supports this. The aim is to ensure that local authorities are providing a consistent and high standard of care and support to all young refugees and asylum seekers, as provided for by the Leaving Care Act. For further information about Tower Hamlets Law Centre visit: thlc.co.uk

A grant of £9378 has been awarded to Lambeth Law Centre for a four-month project. The grant will be used to examine the role of the UKBA’s Children Champion in relation to the UKBA’s duty under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Action 2009, the duty to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It will fund research and legal analysis on a range of issues with a view to bringing a lead challenge, a series of challenges or a class action or if the evidence supports this. For further information about Lambeth Law Centre visit: www.lambethlawcentre.org

A grant of £3930 has been awarded to the Migrants Law Project (MLP), which is working in partnership with Refugee Action on a two month project. MLP is working with Refugee Action on an intervention in a judicial review, listed in court in May 2012. The judicial review concerns delays in determining applications for support by destitute asylum seekers pursuant to Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and who have made fresh claim submissions. The grant will be used by Refugee Action to collate evidence and prepare information for court, working closely with the MLP solicitor. The intervention will focus on whether the UKBA failed to consult on a change in policy concerning how claims for support are dealt with, and whether the Secretary of State’s policy complies with obligations under the Equality Act 2010, with the Reception Directive (and therefore with European Union law), and articles 1 and 4 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The work undertaken as part of this grant will have a focus on children, and the intervention will raise Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Action 2009, the Secretary of State’s duty to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. For further information about MLP and Refugee Action visit: themigrantslawproject.org and www.refugee-action.org.uk

March

A grant of £3,082 has been awarded to the Migrants’ Law Project (MLP). This is an extension to the grant awarded in February 2012, which was to fund Refugee Action (RA) to work in partnership with MLP on an intervention in the High Court in a case concerning delays in determining applications for support by destitute asylum seekers, who have made fresh claims submissions, pursuant to Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The High Court has now granted permission to intervene. The grant is to fund the work of MLP’s solicitor in preparing for the intervention. For further information about MLP and Refugee Action visit: themigrantslawproject.org and www.refugee-action.org.uk

A grant of £9,042 has been awarded to the Asylum Support Appeals Project (ASAP), which is working in partnership with Maternity Action (MA) on a project which is initially for two months. The aim of the project is to increase access to accommodation and support provided under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to pregnant women who have had their asylum claim refused. The grant will fund expert legal advice and the preparation of a litigation strategy, and research into the target group’s profile and current practice by midwives, agencies and UKBA towards them. Depending on the outcome of this work, ASAP and MA may make a further application to the SLF to develop a legal challenge. For further information about ASAP and MA visit: www.asaproject.org and www.maternityaction.org.uk

A grant of £14,800 has been awarded to Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) for a six month project. The project will involve, working with partner agencies, research into UKBA’s implementation of Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 and consideration of the best interests of the child in relation to separated children seeking asylum, and whether this has made any difference to outcomes in such cases. There will be a focus on the apparent widespread grant of discretionary leave to remain, whether this provides a complete answer to children who have been found not to have protection needs and amounts to a “durable solution” as required by UKBA’s own guidance and the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The research will inform whether a test case or a series of challenges can be developed. For further information about GMIAU visit: www.gmiau.org