Advice Service

Do you need advice?

• Do you want to claim asylum?
• Have you been refused asylum?
• Are you an asylum seeker who is homeless or without financial support?
• Are you having issues in your accommodation?
• Are you a migrant without secure immigration status and are you at risk of homelessness?
• Have you been trafficked to the UK?

We may be able to help

What we do:

1) We share information and resources so you can understand the asylum system and access your rights for yourself

2) We give advice and casework support when extra help is needed, such as: preventing homelessness; challenging bad decisions by the Home Office; keeping you safe from harm and abuse

1. Information and resources 

We believe that information can be the most effective way to help. Understanding the asylum system will mean you are more able to help yourself. We have created translated information packs and in many cases our team will share how you can take action for yourself. We offer  information and resources to help you:

• Understand the asylum system (also check out: Right to Remain and Asylum Guides)
• Understand asylum support and how to claim (by contacting Migrant Help)
• Find a solicitor and understand what to expect from them
• Obtain an ARC card (by emailing Home Office casework teams)
• Contact your MP (by email, phone or visiting their office)
• Register with a GP or access emergency dental treatment
• Apply for the Right to Work while waiting for your asylum claim

2. Advice and Casework 

There are times when sharing information is not enough and more help is needed. If you feel you need more help, we will work with you to assess what support we can give. This may be a one-off piece of advice or  it may be a longer meeting or several meetings where we work with you to try and get what you need. For example, if:

• You are not safe where you live
• You are not able to look after yourself or do basic daily tasks, such as washing and dressing
• You asylum support application has been refused or there is a long delay
• You have exceptional circumstances which make applying for asylum support more complex
• You need to request your immigration history from the Home Office
• You need a referral to a specialist service, e.g. mental health support
• You have an exceptional problem with solicitor, for example:
  • Giving wrong advice
  • Charging for work that should be free
  • Losing files or missing important deadlines
    * most solicitors are busy and do not reply often, we cannot change this

What we do not do:

Support not relating to asylum claims or support, or for people with Leave to Remain, this includes:

• Debt (except NHS overseas patient charges)
• Benefits (except asylum support)
• Help applying for bank accounts, driving licenses, or jobs
• Regulated immigration advice, including:
  • Advice about the content of an asylum claim
  • Completing PIQ forms or ‘Asylum Questionnaires’

How to access BRR advice:

Call 07526 352 353 – open 10-1 Monday and Tuesday or leave a voicemail message anytime, or:

• If you live in a hotel, speak to a worker from BRR, Borderlands, Mind, Red Cross, The Haven or North Somerset Welcomes Refugees at the hotel
• If you do not live in a hotel,  visit our Drop-in on Wednesday at 10am in Wellspring Settlement BS5 0AX

Advice and Information Session:

• Wednesdays 10.00-12.00
• At The Wellspring Settlement Main Hall, 43 Ducie Road, Bristol, BS5 0AX
• Help with your asylum accommodation, asylum support or asylum claim, Healthcare access,
• Form-filling and Signposting
• No appointment needed
• We will see people in the order they arrive unless there is an urgent need.
• You may be asked to come back for a longer appointment on another day

OISC

We are registered with the Offices of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC),  Ref No. N201600021, and a number of our staff and volunteers are qualified to provide advice up to OISC Level 3 for asylum and up to Level 2 for immigration.  We provide immigration advice in compliance with current OISC Regulations.

We do not currently provide OISC representation or casework in our advice service but support our members to understand what is happening with their immigration case, the stage they are at in the process and what their options are.  If they don’t have anyone to represent them, we will support them to find someone.

If we cannot help you, we will try and find another organisation that can.