Additional Help

We can only assist with the Change of Conditions application. Below are a list of organisations we recommend which provide additional advice and support on the following:

Health

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We can provide free sanitary products and nappies to anyone who comes to our casework sessions thanks to support from Bloody Good Period

Housing

An organisation which provides advice and support to families who need access to emergency social services accommodation.

T: 07963509044 E: info@project17.org.uk

Finance and Debt

Provide debt advice and support, with a debt helpline, which is open 10am-5pm on weekdays.

T: 08008085700

Provide legal advice regarding debt, housing benefits and employment.

T: 02078317079 E: advice@marywardlegal.org.uk

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Online service providing debt advice and support, including payment plans, debt management plans and mortgage advice.

Online advice form

Provide specialist telephone advice if you have been charged for your NHS care whilst pregnant.

T: 0808 800 0041 (Freephone) Wednesday and Thursday 10am-noon

An organisation which provides advice on benefits, housing, employment and benefits for women who’ve experienced gender-based and sexual violence and domestic violence: https://www.lrmn.org.uk/support-for-women

Help to Save

If you are receiving Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit, you may be able to apply for a Help to Save savings account to allow you to receive £50p for every £1 that you save over a period of 4 years. More info on the government website here.

Domestic Abuse

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247.

For additional support you can contact the organisations below.

An organisation which provides support, advice, and therapeutic services for women and children who have experienced domestic violence.

T: 020 619 1350 / 0808 802 5565

E: info@solacewomensaid.org

Provides information, advice, advocacy, practical help, counselling and support to women and children experiencing domestic and other forms of gender-related violence.

T: 02085719595 E: info@southallblacksisters.co.uk

Benefits

If you are given recourse to public funds, you will need to apply for the benefits you want to claim. You can check what benefits you may be eligible for here. There is some information about claiming benefits here. The following organisations provide support for accessing benefits.

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A network of charities that offer confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free about benefits, housing, employment, debt. Find your nearest centre here and help to apply to Universal Credit here.

National helpline (England): 0800 144 8848

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Provide benefits advice for anyone living in London. You can reach them using this referral form.

T: 02072590801

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You can find your local law centre here. They specialise in social welfare and can give free advice in the following areas: disability, immigration and asylum, housing, employment and debt.

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Find help relating to benefits, employment, money and housing in your area.

Employment and Education

Offers courses, projects and training to help people get ahead in the workplace and develop skills for employability. Courses include Web design and development, Business IT, English and Maths.

Am organisation which provides employment support for those who have ever claimed asylum in the UK and are living in London. You can reach them using this referral form.

An organisation which provides employment support as well as ESOL, IT and creative classes.

T: 03006361967 E: london@crisis.org.uk

Student Loan and University Information

If you have Limited Leave to Remain, you may still be able to get a student loan. The below organisations support migrants and the children of migrants with access to further education.

An organisation campaigning about migrant’s entitlement to student loans.

E: info@webelong.org.uk

An organisation which provides free educational support for secondary school-aged children.

T: 02072430242 E: info@intouniversity.org

Further legal advice

Please contact us if you would like a list of immigration advice agencies that can offer free or low-cost advice.

If you need help or advice to renew your leave to remain or to ask for a fee waiver, you can read our fact sheet here. Please note that this advice was current at the date of writing, and we advise that you speak to an immigration advisor to confirm that it is still current and to see how it applies in your case.

We can only offer advice relating to immigration law. If you need legal advice or support in any other area (e.g. debt, family law, housing) you can find a list of accredited lawyers/firms here: 

London-based advice

A list of guides to help migrants in London to identify support and resources in their local area developed by Migrants’ Rights Network. You can find local resources for New Cross, Newham, Brent, Hackney, Haringey, and Tower Hamlets

Social Centres/Social Support

A social centre visited by many affected by NRPF, open on Sundays, 2-6pm in Dalston. It offers hot meals, English classes, creative activities, bike repair services and childcare.

Monthly social groups for people who have experienced NRPF, led by the South London Refugee Association.

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A partnership between Migrants’ Rights Network, RAMFEL and OLMEC to help support people with NRPF by offering immigration, employment, mental health and well-being advice and support.

E: s.ioannides@migrantsrights.org.uk

A social centre which also runs English language and learning workshops for women. It's based in various locations in Hackney on Saturdays at 10am.

T: 07835 277 776 E: hackney@xenia.org.uk

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The CIRCLE Project, run by Groundwork, aims to bring communities together through social and cultural activities, including free English classes and employment support.

Provides community support and classes for pregnant women and new mothers.

E: info@birthcompanions.org.uk

Provides a mentoring scheme for pregnant women who require support and specialist signposting.

T: 020 7033 8524 E: BBreferrals@shoreditchtrust.org.uk

Provides a safe and fun place for mums and under fives suffering in temporary or insecure accommodation. There, you can take part in art activities, find community support, and enjoy lunch and tea with everyone.

T: 07561180825 E: Jane.Williams@themagpieproject.org

Haringey Migrant Support Centre - Community Wellbeing Space

1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. More info here.

Provides baby items to parents, including nappies, cots, and prams. Note that this is a referral-only service – email the Unity Project about this if you’d like to be referred. You can reach us through our contact form here.

Getting involved in advocacy and campaigns

There are a huge range of campaigns and groups led by and for migrants in London and across the country committed to supporting change for migrant justice. For example, the NRPF Action Group is a campaign group of people who have experienced NRPF themselves, and are campaigning against it - you can read more about them here. There are also a number of organisations that provide training and support people to build skills to be effective advocates and campaigners:

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Training to support migrant community leaders. Details of some of their training programmes here and here.

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‘First Steps in Social Enterprise for BME women’ is for women from a Black and Minority Ethnic background, as well as migrant and refugee women, with aspirations to start social enterprises. Find out more here.

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The Spokesperson Network, run by NEON, is a programme run to substantially boost the number of progressive, diverse voices in the mainstream media, including the voices of migrants fighting for immigration reform and migrant justice. Find out more here.

Contacting your MP

You can contact your MP if you have immigration problems as they may be able to support you to resolve them or advocate on your behalf. They are there to help people who live in their constituency. If you need an urgent response to your Change of Conditions application, you can write to them. If you don’t know how to do this, you can use this guide and template letter.