SIAU
Annual Report
and
Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 March 2025
for
Slough Immigration Aid Unit
funded by:
#OneSlough
- FOXLE FOUNDATION:
BERKSHIRE
COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
The
London
Legal
Support Trust
The lan Mactaggart Trust and
the Mactaggart Third Fund
The Louis Baylis
CHARITABLE TRUST

Contents of the Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 March 2025
General Information
Trustees' Annual Report
Trustees' Annual Summary
Independent examiner's report on the Accounts
Income and Expenditure Account
Balance Sheet
Page
2
3
4
8
9
10

Slough Immigration Aid Unit
General Information
for the year ended 31 March 2025
CHARITY NAME:
Sloughlmmigration Aid Unit
REGISTERED NUMBER:
1064293
ADDRESS:
52 Chalvey High Street
Slough
Berkshire
SL1 2SQ
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER:
Ms PGrevett
Grevett& Co
Cata Fa Accountants
Slough
Berkshire
SL2 1BT
2

Slough Immigration Aid Unit
Trustees' Report
for the year ended 31 March 2025
The Trustees of the Slough Immigration Aid Unit (also known as SIAU) present their Annual Report
for the year ended 31 March 2025
Trustees
Ms S M Shutter (Chair)
Mr J R Barkley (Treasurer)
Mrs M A Knibbs (died 8 May 2024)
Ms N Shabir (resigned 14 October 2025)
Ms S Saeed
Ms K Beddow (appointed 23 April 2024)
The Trustees are appointed at Trustees' meetings.
The Charity is governed by the Trust Deed dated 18 December 1996 as amended by Special
Resolution on 15 August 1997.
Objects
The objects of the Charity are to relieve hardship by the provision of free legal advice, assistance
and representation to people who live or work or study in Slough and neighbouring areas, and their
families, who have difficulties caused by immigration, nationality or refugee law and practice and
who cannot afford alternative representation; and to collaborate with others to improve such advice
for the people of Slough.
In addition other objects are to provide information and education on immigration, nationality and
refugee law to those who are most closely affected by them.
This work is clearly for the public benefit, as required under charity law. The Trustees have had regard
to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission when exercising any powers or
duties to which the guidance is relevant.
Financial summary for the year
The Charity was funded through unrestricted grants from theBerkshire Community Foundation, the
Louis Baylis Charitable Trust, the Foyle Foundation, the Mactaggart Third Fund, the lan Mactaggart
Trust and the London Legal Support Trust from our participation in its sponsored walk. The
#OneSlough funding, from Slough council, administered by Slough Council for Voluntary Service, to
provide immigration advice to Slough residents, continued through the year.
We continue to seek further grant funding for our work, and to maintain our aim of having at least
three months' running costs in reserves. The Charity is also funded by cost recovery fees from som
clients whose cases we represent and who do not qualify for a free service and by donations from
individuals.
At the year end we held cash at bank of £12,533 which is unrestricted funding held to meet the
running costs of the Charity's office and related expenditure.
The Trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees
Susan M. Shatter.
16 - 12-25
Ms SM Shutter (Chair)
Date
3

SIAU's work during the year April 2024 to March 2025
SIAU's work and aims
SIAU is a charity which provides specialist legal advice, assistance and representation to people who
live, work or study in Slough and neighbouring areas, and their families, who have difficulties with UK
immigration, nationality or refugee law and practice. We have done this work for over 19 years.
All our advice work is free. We provide a free representation service to people on low incomes, or no
income, and who would have qualified financially for Legal Help, when this still existed for immigration
matters. Where people's income or savings are too high to qualify for Legal Help, we may operate a
cost recovery process, charging a fee towards our costs only - we do not make a profit.
We work closely with other groups giving advice in Slough and provide information and support to them.
For the past few years this was formalised through the Slough Community Network, #OneSlough,
organised through Slough Council for Voluntary Service. We have helped other voluntary and
community organisations to understand the law and to help their members or refer them on to
appropriate advice and help.
This year our work largely continued in a hybrid way, following the covid-19 pandemic and its after-
effects. Since March 2000, the majority of our work has been done from home, through phone and
email and zoom and post. We have got used to working in this way, explaining to clients about sending
scans and photos of documents by email to us in support of their cases, and providing information on-
line for us to be able to advise. We now normally have a presence in the office at least once a week to
collect and retrieve documents and to see some clients, but most of our work continues remotely. There
are advantages and challenges in this; we are considering our plans for the longer term.
Why our work is so important
Immigration law is complex and can affect all aspects of people's lives. Access to competent
immigration advice and representation can be vital, making the difference between, for example, a
couple or family being able to live together in the UK or remain separated on different continents; an
asylum seeker having more understanding of the complex process; relatives being able to visit for a
family wedding or being refused a visa to come. It may enable people confused and worried by the
complexities of the EU Settlement Scheme to understand what they may be able to do to secure their
position; or elderly parents being able to live with their adult children here rather than left alone and in
need of care abroad.
Ignorance of the law can lead to serious and unnecessary difficulties. Not understanding the basis on
which immigration decisions are made, or the importance of using the right forms and providing all the
right documentation to the Home Office or to British Visa Application Centres abroad at the right time,
can result in applications which could meet the requirements of the immigration rules being refused
The fees for immigration applications were raised again in April 2025, from £2885to £3029 for
settlement as a spouse or partner, from £1048 to £1321 for family extension of stay, from £1846to
£1938 for family entry clearance abroad, making the importance of preparing a case well and getting
the application right first time of huge significance. Since April 2015, most immigration applicants also
have to pay a 'health surcharge,' which rose to £624 per year in October 2020, and to £1036 in
February 2024, for access to the NHS, for which most of them will already be paying through their
When immigration problems can be solved, people are able to continue their lives without this extra
problem. Uncertainty about immigration status can cause and exacerbate poverty and exploitation.
People who have at last been allowed to work and thus to support their family will be able to do so, and
will have the security not to be exploited at work and to be able to access other rights. The basic
security for people knowing that they are able to remain with their family and continue in their life
enhances community cohesion and makes for a more unified and stronger society.
SIAU remains the only source of free specialist immigration and nationality law advice based in Slough.
Such work is much needed in Slough; around half of its population is of minority ethnic origin, with the
largest communities from Kashmir and the Punjab, but there are also significant African, East
European, other Asian and Middle Eastern populations, as well as those from the Caribbean. There
remains a large unmet need for immigration advice, information and representation.
4

Changes in the law
The unbroken flow of new laws and proposals on migration and asylum continued, both before and after
the July 2024 general election. The Safety of Rwanda (Immigration and Nationality) Bill was introduced
on 7 December 2023 and enacted on 25 April 2024. The new government confirmed that it would not
operate this policy but put forward yet another bill, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill,
which was introduced on 30 January 2025 and enacted on 2 December 2025. An immigration White
Paper, Restoring control over the immigration system, was published on 12 May 2025 and the Home
Secretary proposed sweeping changes in November 2025. Thus migration and asylum issues have
frequently been in the news.
There werethree significant Statements of Changes in the immigration rules from April 2024 to March
2025, as well as proposals not yet implemented, causing huge distress and anger. There were
threeSupreme Court decisions relating to immigration and nationality matters.
The rules on family migration remain extremely complex and restrictive, and the cost of living crisis
means many people are unable to meet them as they do not earn£29,000 per year, required since 11
April 2024, to be able to maintain their spouse, or cannot provide the very precise evidence demanded.
The financial difficulties caused by the long-term effects of the pandemic have meant fewer people
could qualify, even before this rise. This has meant an increase in family members who cannot meet the
financial requirement getting permission to stay on the ten-year route to settlement, meaning they will
not have a secure "settled" status in the UK for ten years. More people have needed to apply for their
immigration fees to be waived, or for their conditions restricting access to public funds to be amended
These applications are labour-intensive, as the Home Office requires extremely detailed financial
evidence and explanations.
The 'hostile environment' created for people without immigration rights, officially renamed the 'compliant
environment by Sajid Javid when Home Secretary, continues and affects others who have the right to
remain. The most extreme injustice affected many from the 'Windrush generation'- with people still
fighting for slow and inadequate compensation. A similar situation has arisen for those who did not
apply in time under the EU Settlement Scheme, for whatever reason, as late applications are
continuing. From 9 August 2023, such late applications are much more likely to be rejected. The
concentration on asylum issues and dealing with the backlog of asylum applications still drains
resources from other immigration areas so that family human rights applications are still taking 12
months on average to process. The government's continued use of outsourcing to private sector
providers to operate the immigration system, VFS Global abroad, and now TLScontact in the UK,
makes the processes less transparent and harder to deal with, and it is more difficult to find out where
responsibility for problems caused to individual applicants lies.
SIAU helps people to understand the immigration law and rules and how to satisfy the authorities that
they can qualify, or advises them how they can do so, but also explains when they do not. SIAU's work
empowers people by helping them to be aware of their position under immigration law and to access
their rights and by reducing the need for people to pay often expensive and incompetent consultants.
British nationality law is complicated and people often need help in understanding it, collecting the
documents needed and making their applications to become British citizens. Naturalisation is always
discretionary and the Home Officechanges its criteria for using its discretion without publicity. Again, the
naturalisation fee, raised to £1735 on 9 April 2025, is non-refundable if the application is refused.
SIAU's specialist workers are able to help people through this maze. We have advised and represented
people on applying under the new sections of the law aimed at rectifying historical injustices, and for
children's fee waivers.
SIAU's advice work and casework
Our legal advice and representational work through the year continued. Our work is regulated by the
Immigration Advice Authority (formerly Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner), no.
F200500137. OISC most recently audited SIAU's work in May 2016 and was fully satisfied
5

During the year April 2024 - March 2025, SIAU records show we advised 438 people and families and
took up 68new cases to represent to the immigration authorities, with work continuing on many others.
Our website had 1206 interactions, according to Google Business Profile statistics.
Our records show that the people we advised or represented were of 77 different nationalities - the
largest numbers were again Pakistani (68) and Indian (47), but there were 136 from different African
countries and 18 from the Caribbean. There were 68 inquiries from citizens of 15other EEA countries
this year, often those of minority ethnic descent;the largest numbers were Romanian, Polishand Italian
(11 each. Other nationalities include Ghanaian (22), Nigerian (20), Zimbabwean (21), South Africa (11),
Sri Lankan (10) Algerian (9),and fewer than 9 people from each of the other nationalities.
Many inquiries, 59, related to the EU Settlement Scheme, oftenincluding non-EU national family
members. Many others related to establishing or acquiring British citizenship, 33 in relation to adult
naturalisation, 19 in relation to children, either registering as British or establishing the status of children
born here. The majority of the other issues raised were in relation to family matters, 59 about spouses,
partners and children in the UK, 34about entry clearance for spouses, partners and children currently
abroad. 47 related to marriage breakdown and domestic abuse and the immigration law effects of
escaping a violent relationship or the possibility of qualifying to remain in the UK independently. 38
related to work rights in the UK, including many on the health and care worker visa. 30 were related to
asylum or discretionary leave matters.23 people inquired about qualifying to remain on long residence
grounds. 21 people needed advice or help about their entitlement to benefits, or in trying to change the
conditions on their stay that they cannot have recourse to public funds, and 17 about applying to
waivetheHomeOffice application fees and the immigration health surcharge. Other matters
included14people wanting advice about family members coming to visit from abroad, and matters such
as NHS charges, proving the right to work or to claim benefits and obtaining travel documents and
biometric residence permits. Inquiries about setting up UKVI accounts, and accessing eVisascontinued
through the year, 33, as all immigration records are online only fromJanuary 2025.
In relation to the 68 people and families whose cases werepresented, they were of 29 different
nationalities; the largest numbers were Pakistani (13), Nigerian (7), Zimbabwean (5), Gambian and
Indian (4 each). Many couples and families have more than one nationality between them, and non-EU
nationals married to, or children of, EU nationals, may have most difficulty in establishing their EU SS
status; we represented 7 such cases. Others included permission to remain with settled or British
spouses or as parents of such children (18) or entry clearance to join family (2), applying to remain after
experiencing domestic abuse (12), long residence applications (12), applying for change of conditions
on stay, to be able to access public funds (4) and applying for British citizenship (17). We represented 6
people in successfully obtaining fee waivers for their family and human rights applications, or children's
citizenship applications.
The majority of people we advised and helped were local. 202 came from Slough, 37 from Bracknell, 38
from High Wycombe, 18 from Reading, 37 from Maidenhead, 3 from Windsor, others from a bit further
afield, such as Wokingham, Ascot, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, and west London, and a few from
other areas, usually by email or phone. 60 people self-identified as having a person with a disability in
the tamily, ranging from mobility difficulties to mental health issues, autism, dyslexia, or had a medical
condition such as cancer, stroke, diabetes or heart failure.
A family wehelped
SIAU advised and represented a Thai woman to apply toremainas the parent of her twoyoung
Britishcitizen children. Her British citizen sister-in-law contacted us. concerned that her brother had
abandoned his wife and children, and she had not applied to extend her stay. SIAU met her and
discussed the events of her marriage. We found that she had been in the UK since 2012 but had not
passed the Life in the UK test so had never applied for settlement. She had relied entirely on her
husband to deal with bureaucracy and did not know how to find out for herself. She had overstayed her
permission as a partner for over two years, so was not able to work or claim anything for herself and her
children, relying on intermittent payments from her husband. SIAU represented her in applying for an
immigration fee waiver, which was successful, and then for permission tostay to care for her children.
After many months, she was granted that permission in December 2024, and was at last able to begin
to rebuild her life.
6

SIAU's staff are highly skilled and experienced, and their expertise can make a significant difference to
chances of success in an application. Shabana Bokhari, OISC level 3 regulated, has continued to work
for one day a week for most of this year; Parveen Akhter, OISC Level 2 regulated, worked for four days
a weekuntil she left in June 2025. Ansa Khan, Level 3 regulated, started work in June 2025. Sue
Shutter, level 2 regulated, volunteered more frequently, dealing with advice queries and some casework
from home. We have not been able to support admin volunteers, but NaziaShabircontinued toprovide
vital volunteer casework support, and Rachel Levy from November 2024 to June 2025, supervised by
Parveen Akhter. There is a huge demand for our work, which we have mainly continued remotely,
through email and phone, throughthis year.
SIAU continues to work with and receive referrals from other local organisations and community groups
doing complementary work in Slough and the surrounding area, including Citizens Advice East
Berkshire, Slough Refugee Support, Hestia, The Dash Charity (Domestic Abuse Stops Here), SEWAK
refuge, until it closed in July 2024, SHOC (Slough Homeless Our Concern), Slough Foodbank,
neighbouring Citizens Advice Bureaux and others. The council, Slough Children First, and the Slough
MP's office, as well as community groups, may also refer people to us for help and advice. We continue
to be a member of the #OneSloughnetwork of voluntary organisations, with regular zoom and in-person
meetings facilitated through Slough Council for Voluntary Service. We are represented in their
community decorating of a temporary hoarding in Slough High Street. As an IAA-regulated organisation,
wehold their Slough Quality Protects Platinumlevel accreditation.
SIAU's information and lobbying work
SIAU participated in lobbying on changes in the law and rules and in raising issues of concern, such as
about the EU Settlement Scheme and the minimum income requirement, through our membership of
the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association. We participate in on-line discussion groupsof
immigration advisers and lawyers, sharing ideas and information. We advise many individuals about
their situations and queries.
SIAU expects to continue all our areas of work into the future, as we anticipate the need for it will
remain and increase as more parts of the new immigration system and the ever-increasing legislation
come into effect. Huge changes are proposed for 2026. The EU settlement and pre-settlement scheme
and its June 2021 deadline, and people travelling in small boats across the English Channel and the
Mediterranean, and government announcements of huge proposed changes, keep migration in the
forefront of public debate. We continue to advise many EU nationals and their families worried about
their status, or applying late, along with others having difficulties caused by the family migration rules
The move to "digital by default" so that all immigration recordsare now onlineonly since the end of 2024
causes many problems and worries, especially for people who are not digitally confident or do not have
access to the internet. Domestic abuse remains a large proportion of our casework. Restrictions on
eligibility to claim benefits, and the increased level of the Home Office fees have added to difficulties
this year, and fee waivers and change of conditions applications remain a significant proportion of our
work. We continue mainly working remotely, and rely on email, internet, phone and post, as well as
meeting people in the office. We continue to attempt to mitigate some of the worst effects of the laws
and practice for our clients and their families and to help them to achieve their aims.
SIAU's staff
Parveen Akhter (to June 2025), Ansa Khan (from June 2025), Shabana Bokhari
SIAU's volunteers
Azhar Chohan, Nazia Shabir, Rachel Levy (November 2024 - June 2025), Sue Shutter
SIAU's Trustees
Sue Shutter (chair), Ray Barkley (reasurer), Ned Shabir (to October 2025), Shabana Saeed, Keren
7

Slough Immigration Aid Unit
Independent Examiner's Report
to the trustees of Slough Immigration Aid Unit
I report on the accounts of Slough Immigration Aid Unit for the year ended 31 March 2025,
which are set out on pages 9 and 10.
Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed
It is my responsibility to:
1*
2°
examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity
3. Comto state widers pain as mate os have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the
Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the
charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes
consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations
from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not
provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is
given as to whether the accounts present a true and fair view' and the report is limited to
those matters set out in the next statement.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the
requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act
and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply
with the requirements of the 2011 Act
have not been met or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper
understanding of the accounts to be reached
19/12/25
Ms P Grevett
FCCA
•
Date

Income
Grants
Donations
Fees recovered
Rents received
Other income
Deposit account interest
Total income
Expenditure
Rent
Wages
Cloud based data system & training
Professional services
Telephone & internet
Post & stationery
Professional indemnity insurance
Employers liability insurance
Sundry expenses
Accountancy
Membership fees
Professional fees
Bank charges
Nest pension
Computer equipment written off
NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
Slough Immigration Aid Unit
Income and Expenditure Account
for the year ended 31 March 2025
2025
Unrestricted Restricted
funds
funds
€
Total
funds
€
23,339
1,449
3,915
2,470
31,173
301
301
31,474
5,700
29,700
480
2,078
707
241
217
460
1,000
159
-
74
475
41,201
9,817
:
:
23,339
1,449
3,915
2,470
31,173
301
301
31,474
5,700
29,700
480
2,078
707
241
217
460
1,000
159
-
74
475
41,291
9,817
Unrestricted Restricted
funds
funds
38,666
8,451
3,870
1,400
52,387
220
220
52,607
5,040
29,700
-
-
1,837
729
251
198
414
1,000
150
1,646
74
475
1,710
43,224
9,383
:
-
:
-
-
-
-
21,445
11,628
-
21,445
11,628
12,062
21,445
9
2024
Total
funds
38,666
8,451
3,870
1,400
52,387
220
220
52,607
5,040
29,700
1,837
729
251
198
414
1,000
150
1,646
74
475
1,710
43,224
9,383
12,062
21,445

Slough Immigration Aid Unit
Balance Sheet
for the year ended 31 March 2025
2025
FIXED ASSETS
Computer equipment
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
Prepayments
Bank deposit account
Bank account no. 1
Bank account no. 2
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Grant received in advance
Creditors and accrued expenses
NET CURRENT ASSETS
NET ASSETS
REPRESENTED BY:
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
-
520
169
10,203
198
2,132
13,222
1,594
1,594
11,628
11,628
11,628
11,628
10
2024
-
405
159
18,478
1,869
2,147
23,058
1,613
1,613
21,445
21,445
21,445
21,445