Refugee Action Annual Report and Accounts 2024-2025 A company limited by guarantee Registered charity number: 283660 Registered company number: 01593454 REFUGEE ACTION CONTENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Charity Reference and Administrative Details Welcome from the Board Chair Welcome from the Chief Executive Trustees, Annual Report Structure, governance and management Vision, mission and objectives Financial review Our approach to safeguarding Remuneration policy Our impact against objectives Looking ahead to 2024-25 Thank you to our supporters and partners 10 12 14 19 19 40 42 Independent Auditor's Report 52 Statement Of Financial Activities (Including Income And Expenditure Account) 58 Balance Sheet 60 Statement of Cash Flows 61 Notes to the Financial Statements 62 REFUGEE ACTION CHARITY REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Refugee Action is an independent, national charity with over 40 years of experience in developing and delivering solutions to the challenges faced by refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. Our vision is for every refugee seeking safety in the UK to thrive as part of a welcoming, anti-racist society. We provide practical support to refugees and people seeking asylum., train and support other charities to help build capacity and expertise across the sector., and make the case to government for policies that improve their ability to access justice and rebuild their lives. Registered charity number: 283660 Registered company number: 01593454 Registered Office Refugee Action Society Building, Regents Wharf 8 All Saints St, London N1 9RL Chief Executive and Secretary Tim Naor Hilton Trustees Penny Lawrence Thomas Skrinar (resigned January 2025) Elaheh Akbari (resigned June 2025) Halyma Begum Caroline Gormley Ann Ahmed Qays Sediqi (resigned May 2025) Sahar Khan Mark Nowottny Yagoub Mattar Lucy Vidas (appointed December 2024} REFUGEE ACTION CHARITY REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Catherine Lebadou (resigned March 2025) Ximena Alejandra Valenzuela (appointed May 2025) IndependentAuditors Moore Kingston Smith LLP 6th Floor 9 Appold Street, London, United Kingdom, EC2A 2AP Bankers National Westminster Bank plc PO Box 282, 7 Derby Place Derby, DE1 9DS Solicitors Field Seymour Parkes LLP 1 London Street Reading, RG REFUGEE ACTION WELCOME FROM THE BOARD CHAIR FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 1. WELCOME FROM THE CHAIR l am delighted to introduce Refugee Action's Annual Report. Our strategy and firmly rooted purpose.. to end the hostile environment and build a society that welcomes and supports people seeking safety has kept us true throughout the year. This mission is grounded in the leadership of people with lived experience and powered by a wide community of supporters, staff, volunteers and partners. Together, we are creating change in both everyday lives and wider policy. We have balanced the urgent need to respond to crisis with long-term movement-building. Our services have offered practical supportto people navigating a system that is deliberately complex and punishing. At the same time, our campaigns and partnerships have been working to dismantle that system's foundations and reimagine what a fair and humane approach to migration in the UK could look like. Both strands are vital, and it is the connection beMeen them that powers our work. This past year has brought immense challenge. In reflections throughout our previous annual report, there was still a sense of cautious optimism that political change might lead to a more humane approach. Instead, we have seen increasing hostile and dehumanising rhetoric across the political spectrum. Rather than shifting direction, public conversation has grown more toxic, making the work of organisations like Refugee Action all the more urgent. In the face of this difficult context, I have felt enomious pride in the Refugee Action community. Across the organisation, people continue to respond with care, urgency and agility. Our frontline teams are reaching people facing destitution, injustice and uncertainty. Our lived experience programmes are creating space for healing and leadership. Our campaigns are shining a spotlight on harmful policies and demonstrating that an alternative is possible. None of this could happen without the extraordinary commitment of those who raise vital funds for our work, and those who ensure our day-to-day operations run smoothly behind the s￿nes. l also want to recognise the work of our Board. As the terms of several longstanding Trustees came to an end, we welcomed five new members this year. Each brings fresh insight and a commitment to our values, helping ensure our governance continues to reflect the diversity and depth of experien￿ across our wider movement. One of the highlights of the year for me was our conference in November 2024. Over Iwo days, staff and volunteers from across the country came together to learn from each other and deepen connections across our shared work. We were privileged to hear from inspiring REFUGEE ACTION WELCOME FROM THE BOARD CHAIR FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 speakers including Wanda Wyporska Chief Executive Officer of Safe Passage International, and Bridget Young, Director of NACCOM, who reminded us of the power of collaboration and solidarity. Looking ahead, there is so much work to do. The external climate remains tough - but the strength of our people, our values and our partnerships give me hope. As my 6-year term as Chair draws to an end, I look back with great pride and joy at Refugee Action's principled and people-centred, practical approach which has been a privilege to learn from and contribute to. I look forward to continuing to follow Refugee Action's progress under a new Chair, and as a regular donor and supporter. I would like to say a final thank you to all the staff and volunteers at Refugee Action, and the donors and supporters who make our work possible. Penny Lawrence Chair of Trustees REFUGEE ACTION WELCOME FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 2. WELCOME FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Over the past year, amid deep uncertainty and growing hostility, we have also witnessed something powerful - a rising tide of resistance. Communities are organising. People with lived experien￿ of migration are increasingly shaping conversations and stepping into leadership roles and more and more people across the UK are calling for something better a fair, humane and compassionate approach to asylum and migration. This hope exists alongside an incredibly difficult context. This time last year, we still held hope that the political context around migration might be shifting. With a General Election on the horizon, we dared to expect a more progressive approach to asylum and migration but that hope has soured. Dehumanising, anti-migrant rhetoric now dominates mainstream political discourse. This is not confined to one party. From the "small boats" obsession to speeches like Keir Starmer's "island of strangers" address, we've watched the language of division harden across the political spectrum. This has fuelled a terrifying rise in far-right activity and the normalisation of hate. Last August's racist riots and attacks and the recent violence in Ballymena are not isolated incidents. They are the direct consequence of years of scapegoating and fearmongering and policies and language designed to marginalise racialised and minoritised communities. The damage caused to people seeking safety, and to our broader communities, is stark. People are forced to live in fear, trapped in limbo and denied dignity. Racism and isolation are built into the system, from unsafe housing to the deliberate cruelty of enforced destitution. The asylum system is not simply failing it is functioning exactly as intended.. to deter, divide and dehumanise. In the face of this, our work has never felt more urgent, or more grounded in the strength of the communities we serve. The climate is bleak but there is a growing resistance. An increasingly powerful voice is pushing back, demanding a different way of thinking and talking about migration and the people who settle in the UK. That voice runs through our communities. It starts with people with lived experience of migration and asylum, and it is increasingly drawing in members of the wider public who are tired of fear-based narratives and want something fairer. That voi is growing but we must keep building the platform and power it needs to shift the political and media agenda. At Refugee Action, we have focused on building this power. From our frontline services to lived experience groups, from campaigning to coalition-building, we have prioritised collective impact, strengthening connections, sharing power and building momentum. We have seen real wins this year. The new government's decision to scrap the Rwanda REFUGEE ACTION WELCOME FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 deportation scheme and withdraw the use of the Bibby Stockholm barge shows that pressure works. These policies didn't fall apart on their own,. they were challenged relentlessly by migrant-led groups, campaigners, legal experts and communities up and down the country. Our"Most Wanted" campaign exposed the companies profiting from the asylum system, helping shift public debate around asylum accommodation. The message landed that this system is not just broken,. it is rigged in favour of private interests. We have seen enthusiasm for reform in this area from across government and we are using that momentum to push for long-overdue change. Through our policy work, we have brought together local authorities and grassroots asylum organisations to shape new proposals for housing reform. We have met with ministers, convened roundtables, and supported local networks to influence national decisions. The impact is growing and so is our ambition. Meanwhile, lived experience leadership continues to deepen and expand. Groups like RAS Voice are shaping policy and reshaping public understanding, most recently by convening spaces that ￿ntre the idea that asylum justits is racial justice and presenting at meetings with Ministers. This growing awareness is vital.. we cannot build a better future without tackling the racism at the heart of the system. In June, we launched a report that puts racial justice at the centre of the migration debate. It draws on the knowledge of lived experience leaders and partners from across the sector. We hope it becomes a key part of how we all reframe the narratives around racism and migration in the UK. It has also been incredible to witness the impact of projects like BRAVE and Share Connect Grow this year. BRAVE has created vital space for people with lived experience to come together, share leadership and shape their communities. Share Connect Grow has focused on building relationships and trust between people who have a￿Ssed our services and the wider local networks around them. Internally, we have been continuing our journey to become a more equitable and anti-racist organisation. This means reckoning with the power structures we have inherited and reinforced. As an organisation and as a sector, we have so much further to go ensure that our work truly and meaningfully centres people with lived experience and tackles the racism and saviourism that is deeply embedded within migration work. We have made progress with this work as our internal networks and groups are growing in confidence and influence. We acknowledge that there is still much progress to be made with this work- it is complex, uncomfortable and demands honesty, time and deep commitment. We are especially grateful to our racialised and minoritised colleagues, who continue to carry the emotional burden of our anti-racism work, often while experiencing the very injustices REFUGEE ACTION WELCOME FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 we are trying to tackle. Your contribution is immeasurable, and we acknowledge the toll this work takes. We commit to continuing to shift power and to resourcing this work in meaningful ways. This year also brought moments of joy, reflection and connection. At our staff and volunteer conference in November, we came together to share learning, reignite energy and remind each other what we are fighting for. We heard from powerful speakers and held conversations that challenged us, lifted us and helped us look ahead with purpose. There are obstacles ahead, but we are determined to overcome them. Whatever happens across the political and social landscape over the next year, we will keep pushing for a fairer, more compassionate approach to migration, one that recognises people not as threats or burdens, but as neighbours, workers, family, friends. We will keep working alongside the people and communities most affected because that is where real change starts, and where it lasts. None of this would be possible without our people. Our delivery teams, our caseworkers, legal advi￿ workers, group workers, volunteers, project coordinators, project managers, campaigners, fundraisers and vital support staff. Thank you for standing with us. Tim Naor Hilton Chief Executive REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 The trustees (who are also directors of the charity for the Companies Act) present their annual report together with the audited financial statements of Refugee Action ('the charity,) for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees confirm that the Annual Report and financial statements of the charity comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charity's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard, applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) {effective 1 January 2019). Structure, governance and management The charity is governed by its memorandum and articles of association (last amended in April 2015) and is a company limited by guarantee. Refugee Action's trustees are responsible for the overall management of the charity. Trustees are chosen for their expertise and their commitment to refugees, including life experience as refugees. The trustees who served during this financial year are shown below. Biographical details of our current trustees can be found on our website: www.refu ee-action.or The trustees set and oversee Refugee Action's policies and plans, oversee its financial affairs, and supervise the work of the salaried Chief Executive in carrying out these policies and plans. All trustees are unpaid. Trustee vacancies are publicly advertised, and new trustees are appointed by the full board following an interview process. When first appointed, they are offered an induction programme that includes the opportunity to observe our services. Trustees also hold an annual away day at which the plans of the organisation are discussed. Refugee Action carries out an annual assessment of the risks facing the charity. Details of trustees, expenses and related transactions are disclosed in Note 6 of the accounts. The Chief Executive is appointed by the trustees and is accountable to them for managing the charity. Refugee Action has a Senior Leadership Team (SLT) that reports to the Chief Executive and manages the primary functions of the charity. SLT members in 2024-25 were.. Tim Naor Hilton, Chief Executive Yemane Tsegai, Head of Corporate Services Lai-Har Cheung, Head of Human Resources Mohamed Omar, Head of Experts by Experience & Partnerships Rachel Goodall, Head of Asylum SeNices io REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Yvonne Kachikoti, Head of Resettlement and Integration Services Ali Noyce, Head of Fundraising, Brand & Insight Asli Tatliadim, Head of Campaigns The SLT is assisted by a team that comprised 105 staff at the end of March 2025. With the help of 223 volunteers, the organisation delivered services in 4 regions of England during 2024-25. These were London, the West Midlands (the Offi￿ base for all activities in the West Midlands is in Birmingham), the North-west (the main office base is in Manchester) and West Yorkshire (the office is in Bradford). The organisation also carried out training and provided support to other charities as well as communications, advocacy, and campaigning work to further the mission and objectives of the charity. li REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 VISION. MISSION AND OBJECTIVES About Refugee Action Refugee Action is an independent, national charity that works to ensure that refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK can successfully rebuild their lives. In 2023, the organisation set a strategy to guide all our work until 2030 and ensure that we progress towards our goal of ending the hostile environment for refugees, with defined goals for each area of our work up to 2030. We have developed objectives for each of our goals, which we'll work to achieve over the next two years, guided by our values. Our vision Every refugee seeking safety in the UK can thrive as part of a welcoming, anti-racist society. Our mission To end the hostile environment for refugees. Our values 1) With refugees and people seeking asylum: Our work is shaped by the experiences and insights of refugees and people seeking asylum. We stand together to call for change and commit to removing the barriers they face in using their power, skills and experience. We commit to deep analysis of how power works within society, the sector and Refugee Action. 2) Collaborative: We believe that a well-connected, resilient and skilled refugee sector and movement is essential to achieving our vision and we understand that we have an important role to play in facilitating this and building effective collaborations. We are power-aware and commit to sharing our access, influence and platforms. 3) Courageous: We're bold and creative in all that we do. We challenge, at an individual and systemic level, those who hold power over the lives of refugees. We understand the scale of the task to achieve our vision and so take calculated risks to make progress and have an impact. 4) Anti-racist: We recognise that we are working in a system that racialises people, creating discriminatory policies and practices that have a traumatic impact on refugees. We recognise that this is also deep rooted within society and in our sector. 12 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 We will work towards being an anti-racist charity and commit to learning from our mistakes. We commit to continual learning and believe that we cannot truly achieve our vision without constantly challenging ourselves as Refugee Action. With this in mind, we are working towards delivering all our work through an anti-racist lens. Our Strategic Objectives for 2023- 2025 We advance these objectives through delivering direct services to people seeking asylum and refugees - with services based in in London, the West Midlands, the North-west, and West Yorkshire- support and advice to other organisations, and campaigns. Remove barriers to power for refugees through co-producing our strategies, campaigns and services with them, increasing their opportunities for influence and learning, and increasing lived experience employment and support within the organisation, so that their Vol￿ defines the change we want to see. Campaign alongside people with lived experience, grassroots groups and allies to increase public support for refugees and influence decision makers to commit to a workable, fair and anti-racist asylum system. Shift power to refugees and people seeking asylum to influence both our work and decisions made by government and increase refugee representation in our staff and board. Disrupt how the hostile asylum and immigration system strips people seeking safety of their rights so that they can live in dignity and thrive in our country. Work with our partners to build our sector's expertise and ability to combat the hostile environment through sharing research and learnings, convening and holding space so we can collaboratively tackle our shared challenges and supporting a shared journey towards removing barriers to power for refugees and supporting our sector be anti-racist. Invest our resour￿$ responsibly to achieve sustainable financial growth so that we can reach and empower even more people seeking safety. Develop a work culture which is centred on well-being and encourages data-driven learning, empowering staff to hold boundaries, to practi￿ self-care, and to hold each other and selves to account on upholding our anti-racist values so that we as an organisation can ultimately achieve our mission. Who do we support? Refugee Action exists to defend the right to safety that we all share. We're fighting the hostility that has a devastating, daily impact on refugees and our communities. 13 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 We do this with life changing support and system changing campaigns that bring us all closer to safety, dignity and hope. Public benefit Our work is focused on improving the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum. By providing advice and support to refugees and people seeking asylum, our work is of public benefit by supporting those individuals, relieving their poverty and distress, and by reducing the strain on other community and statutory organisations. The trustees have had regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties. The communications and advocacy that we undertake also has wider ramifications for the public benefit by improving public understanding of why refugees and people seeking asylum come to the UK, their rights while here, and their contribution to the UK. This in turn reduces hostility towards people seeking asylum and refugees and improves understanding and cohesion between different communities. Financial review For the year ended 31 March 2025 the charity made a deficit of £1.25m (2024.. £1.12m surplus) decreasing total funds to £6.14m (2024.. £7.39m). This resulted from in year restricted funds deficit of £457k and unrestricted funds deficit of £795k. Refugee Action is diversifying our funding sources and investing in public fundraising, through a rolling three- year budget to ensure our long-term financial sustainability that is approved by the board annually. Details of the state of the charity's reserves are given in the Reserves Policy section below. On 31 March 2025 the charity had total reserves of £6.14m (31 March 2024.. £7.39m). Income Refugee Action's total income for the year has decreased by £4.84m to £6.86m {2024'.11.7m). During the financial year, our restricted income has decreased by £4.24m. The main reasons for this substantial reduction in our restricted income were the end of our Homes for Ukraine projects in both Bimiingham and Solihull Councils, the end of our main resettlement projects in both Herefordshire and Staffordshire Councils, a large reduction in the number of resettlement clients we assisted in Liverpool City Council and the end of a Lottery funded EarlyAction Project. In regard to our unrestricted income our donations from the public have 14 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 decreased by £679k while our investment income has increased by £35k. The income for the year ended 31 March 2025 included grants £4.06m (2024.. £8.3m), donations from the public £2.61 m (2024.. £3.3m) and investment income of £188k (2024.. £153k). Expenditure Refugee Action's total expenditure for the year ended 31 March 2025 decreased by £2.52m to £8.12m (2024.. £10.6m). The main reasons for the substantial decrease were £2.66m reduction in the costs of our frontline services due to projects coming to an end, a £95k reduction in our campaigning costs and £246k increase in our fundraising costs. Out of the £8.12m expenditure, the cost of providing services to our clients was £5.67m {2024'. £8.34m). Staff costs for the year ended 31 March 2025 decreased to £4.96m {2024'. £6.2m). The percentage of staff costs to total costs has slightly increased to 61 percent (2024.. 58 percent). The cost of raising funds for the year ended 31 March 2025 has increased by £246k to £1.94m (2024.. £1.69m). The main reason for such an increase is additional investment to implement our new fundraising strategy. Treasury Management poLicy The charity has an appropriate treasury management policy. The trustees consider the most appropriate treasury policy for surplus funds to be held on bank deposits. Reserves policy Having considered the likely financial risks, expenditure and future levels of income of Refugee Action, the Trustees have agreed the following policy. 15 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 General fund The General Fund comprises funds that represent accumulated surpluses and deficits in the Statement ot Financial Activities after transfers to and from the Designated Funds. The trustees consider it appropriate to retain unrestricted free reserves in the general fund that reflect the financial risks to which Refugee Action is exposed. The main financial risks to Refugee Action include, a sudden reduction in unrestricted income, a need for working capital requirements due to payment of grants in arrears, and a need to have enough funds to allow sufficient time for re-organising or closing the charity in the event of a substantial reduction in income or unexpected major financial expenditure. Having considered the likely financial risks the trustees believe the appropriate level of free reserves to be be￿een £1.7m to £2.3m (2024: between £1.52m to £2.04m). The year-end balance in the General Fund on 31 March 2025 amounted to £1.7m (2024.. £1.86m), which is within the range of the policy. Designated Funds The trustees, as explained in Note 12 to the financial statements, have also established designated funds, out of unrestricted funds, primarily to cover projected deficits in our rolling three-year budgets. As of 31 March 2025, the total balan￿ of the designated fund was £440k. This is set aside to fund the deficits on front-line projects, campaigns and fundraising teams until we achieve financial sustainability- Currently we expe￿ to achieve financial sustainabilty in financial year ending 31 March 2026. Restricted Funds Refugee Action also holds restricted funds. As of 31 March 2025 the total balance of restricted funds was £3.97m (2024.. £4.45m). Restricted funds are those subject to specific restrictions imposed by funders, as shown in Note 12 to the financial statements. Review of this policy The charity produces quarterly management accounts for trustees, thereby allowing the Trustees to monitor the Reserves Policy and level of reserves including restricted and designated funds on a regular basis. This policy will be reviewed annually as part of the annual audit and report to the trustees. 16 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Fundraising statement At Refugee Action, we're committed to the highest standards in data protection and fundraising practi￿. We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and abide the Code of Fundraising Practice. We adhere to all relevant legislation and best practi￿ in the sector particularly around the protection of our supporter's data and privacy which we are deeply committed to upholding. sin￿ the General Data Protection Regulation became law in May 2018, we have ensured that our consent and privacy policies are fully compliant with the legislation. In cases where we work with suppliers or third parties, we ensure they work to the highest standards and are fully compliant with data protection. We have not used professional fundraising agencies to raise funds for us in the year or commercial participators, and do not currently undertake any street fundraising, door-to-door fundraising or telephone fundraising. We value all the feedback we re￿1ve from our supporters and change the frequency and method of communications to them, if requested. We take any complaints very seriously and, if received, investigate, and respond to them as per our complaints policy. This year, we received 3 formal complaints regarding our fundraising activity. We acted swiftly and listened carefully to the supporters, concerns. In all cases we determined there was no regulatory or legal breach. We do, however, ensure that all complaints are carefully reviewed and used as a chance to learn and improve ourfundraising practices and data management. Principal risks and uncertainties The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular, those related to the operations and finances of the charity and are satisfied those systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. Risks have been identified under the four headings suggested by the Charity Commission.. Governance and Management., Operational., Financial., and External Environment. Risk 1: External Environment. The external environment continues to present a significant risk to Refugee Action's work, particularly due to the rise in far-right sentiment, increased anti-migrant rhetoric, and the political framing of asylum and immigration as issues of criminality. While the 2024 change in government initially suggested the possibility of a more positive shift in policy, early developments indicate a continuation and, in some areas, an intensification of exclusionary and punitive approaches. This includes renewed proposals for deportation to third countries and more restrictive immigration legislation. These developments present a direct threat to 17 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 people seeking safety and to the sector. To mitigate this risk, Refugee Action continues to focus on systemic change. Our influencing work highlights the damaging impact of hostile policies and prioritises the inclusion of lived experience voices. Our communications strategy ￿ntreS public engagement around the ham caused by current asylum policies and advocates for meaningful reform. Risk 2: Financial. The charity sector continues to face financial uncertainty, and Refugee Action has observed shifts in the priorities and strategies of long-term funders, particularly among Trusts and Foundations. Some key funders have paused or reduced their giving, and competition for available funding has increased. In response, Refugee Action is implementing a new fundraising strategy aimed at diversifying income streams, strengthening unrestricted income, and building resilience across our funding portfolio. Vvhile the external landscape remains challenging, we are optimistic that these strategic changes will support growth and stability in 2025-26 and beyond. Risk 3: Operational. Staff wellbeing remains a key organisational risk, particularly for those in front-line roles who work with people affected by trauma, destitution and systemic exclusion. The continued hostility of the asylum environment, combined with an increasingly urgent caseload, impacts staff mental health and resilience. These risks have been further heightened by external events in 2024, including high-profile incidents of far-right violence. Refugee Action continues to invest in staff wellbeing as a core operational priority. Support in pla￿ includes structured supervision with space to address wellbeing., access to Health Assured, a free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme,. and clinical supervision for those in front-line roles. Staff are also able to access training on vicarious trauma, self-care and resilience. Following the 2024 riots, we introduced an additional programme of wellbeing support delivered by Thrive Worldwide, with a particular focus on supporting racialised staff. Our approach to safeguarding Refugee Action continuously strives to strengthen our safeguarding practices and to ensure we give sufficient priority and resources to this. SLT continues to provide direct oversight of our safeguarding structure. A member of the Senior Leadership Team is our designated Senior Safeguarding Lead and works closely with the Safeguarding Manager and Designated Safeguarding Officers to ensure a robust escalation system and clear oversight of safeguarding throughout the organisation. This includes supporting individual designated officers to deal with incidents accordingly. Themes of Safeguarding incidents are reported 18 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 to the board of trustees, through the designated lead trustee on safeguarding via quarterly meetings., and to the whole Board once a year during the first quarter. Refugee Action's Safeguarding Managersupports the Senior Safeguarding Lead in ensuring that our safeguarding policy, procedures, and strategy are effective and compliant with legislation, and by supporting and advising on specific concerns and incidents. New staff and volunteers re￿1ve mandatory safeguarding training and existing staff are offered refresher courses every 2 years. We prioritise emerging safeguarding themes to inform regular seNice staff training. Remuneration policy for key management personnel The board oftrustees and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) make up the key management personnel of the charity and are responsible for directing, controlling, running, and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. Remuneration for all staff is governed by principles of.. Pays a fair wage to all staff commensurate with the responsibility, accountability and complexity of their role. Ensures a mechanism to evaluate grading of posts. Ensure that Refugee Action remains flexible and competitive. Refugee Action uses the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) salary scale. The NJC is made up of local government representatives and major unions, who negotiate each year on pay awards. Scales consist of 9 salary bands, against which roles are assigned based on levels of complexity, responsibility, and accountability. New starters are generally appointed on the first spinal point of the band and progress through the scale via annual increments. OUR IMPACT Thanks to the support of our donors, funders, partners, and campaigners: Over 4,700 people seeking safety were supported through our frontline servI￿s, helping them to access the essentials they need to rebuild their lives. Over 350 subscribers to our Experts by Experience podcast engaged with powerful, peer-led discussions exploring the challenges people face when seeking safety in the UK, each episode offering insights grounded in lived experience. 19 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Over 1,000 mentions of our work in the media. 56,000 people viewed our video of the Parliament Square stunt relaunching the Lift the Ban campaign, with thousands liking, commenting, and sharing the content to show their support for lifting work restrictions on people seeking asylum. 634 people attended Welcome Briefings in asylum accommodation hotels, where they learned more about their rights and the support available to them. 615 people took part in community integration and wellbeing activities led by BRAVE (Building Resilience and Valuing Empowerment) volunteers in Bradford volunteers with lived experience who provide peer support and connection. 94% of participants from our Pathways to Work cohorts were in education, employment or training six months after completing the programme, building independence and confidence for their futures. 848 individuals were trained through our Frontline Immigration Advice Project (FIAP), helping to improve the accessibility and quality of immigration advice for people seeking safety. More than 720 organisations a¢￿ssed our Responding to Racistviolence resour pack. Removing Barriers to Power: Our 2023-25 objective is to remove barriers to power for refugees through co-producing our strategies. campaigns and services with them, increasing their opportunities for influence and learning, and increasing lived experience employment and support within the organisation. so that their voice defines in every way the change we want to see, by: a) Ensuring 50 people with lived experience can use their voice to influenc8 issues that matter to them. b) Establishing an organisational working group to create a co-production plan by 2025. c) Increasing the number of staff we have with lived experience of the asylum system at all levels and support staff to develop their skills. "RAS Voice is like n7y second home. You can knock on the door anytime, and it's 20 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 always open. I have consistently been treated with respect, care, and dedication throughout my joumey of seeking asylum in the UK" Anusha, RAS Voice member. People with lived experience of the UK'S asylum system possess knowledge, resilience and power, yet systemic barriers limit their ability to shape the decisions and policies that directly impact their lives. Our commitment to removing these barriers spans every area of our work, both internally and externally. All teams at Refugee Action have specific responsibilities and targets to help achieve this organisational milestone. The Expert by Experience (EbE) and Partnerships Team leads on four key focus areas that underpin our efforts.. centring lived experience, advancing anti-racism, supporting wellbeing, and enabling professional developmenL Across each of these areas, the team creates regular opportunities for reflection and evaluation to ensure continuous learning and meaningful progress. This milestone has been intentionally designed to encompass our work within the wider refugee sector, in partnership with other movements and charity sectors, and within Refugee Action itself. The team continues to develop sector-facing work that deepens understanding of what it means to truly remove barriers to power. We continue to support refugee-led organisations across the UK to build capacity and strengthen leadership by people with lived experience. At the same time, our Expert by Experience Steering Group - a volunteer-led advisory body- has helped shape our 2030 strategy and holds us accountable to it. One significant outcome from this group was the recognition of a gap in our policies concerning remuneration and recognition for volunteers. This required navigating complex legal considerations, particularly for those with unresolved asylum claims. As a result, we co-produced a revised expenses policy with the Steering Group, ensuring fairness while remaining within legal boundaries. We have since shared our learnings from this process with other organisations looking to review their own approaches. ht on RAS vol￿.. Refugee and Asylum Seeker (RAS) Voice, our campaigning group made up of people with lived experience of the asylum system, has become a central space for advocacy and collective action. The group, which includes members from across the country, meets regularly to set priorities, plan campaign activities, and organise events. In 2024- 25, their efforts focused on advocating for racial justice in the asylum system, and empowering people seeking asylum to share their stories and shape policy. 21 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 They collaborated with a range of community organisations including These Walls Must Fall, Waste Women, and Safety for Sisters. They delivered a series of online information sessions for Experts by Experience and refugee support organisations. These sessions uncovered widespread fears around immigration raids, family separation, LGBTQ+ safety, and the threat of deportation. RAS Voice also shared their expertise with young people from the Breadwinners Foundation through an online session. Recognising that racism is embedded within the asylum system, 5 RAS Voice members conducted 20 in-depth interviews to explore these eXperien￿S. The resultwas"As in the UK.. A Front Line for Racial Justi￿, a landmark report produced in collaboration with Migrants Organise and the Runnymede Trust. The group co-developed campaign videos and helped shape the messaging for the report through a workshop, created campaign videos, and hosted a regional launch event in Manchester during Black History Month. The event featured a panel of community leaders and advocates and was attended by over 60 people. Throughout the year, members of RAS Voice also contributed to external campaigns and events, sharing their perspectives and building solidarity across the refugee and voluntary sectors. 9 members attended Refugee Action's Stand Up for Refugees comedy night to meet supporters and advocate for a fairer asylum system. The group marked World Refugee Day by joining a public event in Parliament Square and collaborated with Community Arts Northwest and Home Manchester to run a workshop at the Horizons Festival during Refugee Week. This work is rooted in Collaboration, peer learning, and Se￿Or engagement. Refugee Action's EbE Manager represents RAS Voice and One Strong Voice on the Strategic Engagement Group and also co-chairs the Asylum Lived Experience Advisory Panel (ALEAP), a cross-sector group of people with lived experience. Together, ALEAP members including 2 from RAS Voice have contributed to changes in asylum accommodation policy, influenced reductions in asylum interview durations, and helped ensure trauma-informed training for Home Office staff. They have also taken part in professional development opportunities such as verbal communication training delivered in partnership with KPMG. Additionally, RAS Voice has also been involved in relaunching the Lift the Ban campaign, which calls for the right to work for people seeking asylum, with 6 members travelling to Westminsterto join the campaign protest and supported the national social media rollout. RAS Voice's work continues to demonstrate the transformative power of lived experience leadership and the importance of ensuring people seeking safety have a say in shaping the systems that affect them. In line with this, Refugee Action continues to co-produce 22 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 the Experts by Experience Podcast with lived experience contributors. The podcast creates space for people to share their reflections and insights on the topics they choose. This year, the podcast has grown to 350 subscribers, with each episode reaching an average of 150 listeners across Spotify and Apple platforms. Episodes delve into a range of themes, from resilience and activism to navigating the UK asylum system. Campaigning: Our 2023-25 objective is to campaign alongside people with lived experience, grassroots groups and allies to increase public support for refugees and influence decision makers to end the hostile environment and commit to an anti-racist asylum system, by: a) Seeking out new partnerships within the wider social justice movements, including housing, racial justice, climate justice and labour rights movements to build our base of support. b) Hosting events to engage cross party MPS before and after the General Election to influence the narrative and future policies on asylum and immigration. c) Publishing articles, information and reports on the systemic issues eroding refugee rights to shift the political and national conversation from hostile policies to rights based and workable policies. "The hostile environment must also be dismantled. It cannot exist alongside an anti-racist system. We want to see people seeking asylum given the right to work and safe housing in our communities, well out of reach of predatory companies looking to pn?fit off them" Asli Tatliadim, Head of Campaigns at Refugee Action. Campaigning with people with lived experience about the issues that matter most to them is at the heart of our mission to transform the asylum system. Over the past year, this work has spanned the right to work, housing, racial justice, and climate justice. We have built new alliances, reignited coalitions, engaged MPS across the political spectrum, and continued to expose the systemic injustices people face in the asylum system every day. Alongside this, we have published articles, briefings, and reports that confront the structural problems in the asylum system and offered clear, fair, and workable solutions. Lift the Ban.. The right to work remains one of the most consistently raised priorities for people in the asylum system. Since the summer of 2024, we've been preparing to relaunch the Lift the 23 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Ban campaign, which calls for people seeking asylum to be allowed to work while awaiting a decision on their claim. Rooted in the experiences of people seeking asylum in the UK the coalition's report noted that 94 % of people surveyed who were in the asylum system wanted to work, and that 81 % of the public support the right to work for people seeking asylum in the UK. The campaign is run by a coalition of over 300 organisations, from charities and businesses to faith groups and trade unions- and is rooted in the experiences of people navigating the UK'S asylum system. In February 2025, we co-produced a stunt in Parliament Square with Lived Experience Activists and campaigners across the country to relaunch the campaign and shine a spotlight on the injustice of the work ban. 50 people with experience of the asylum system dressed in uniforms representing the professions they could be working in-from nursing to teaching, logistics to hospitalily. The action was powerful, hopeful and disruptive, capturing widespread attention online. A short video of the stunt reached over 3,400 people when we shared it on Linkedln, and the campaign continues to gain momentum. Across all our channels, the video was seen by 56,000 people and generated over 3,000 engagements and 833 link clicks to our open letter on lifting the ban on work. In November 2025, we will host a business event at the Conduit Club to bring together business owners and decision makers to discuss and share the benefits of lifting the ban on work for the labour market. Our strategy includes engaging more companies and securing large businesses support to the campaign. The aim is to build support from within the private sector for reforming the work ban, and to make the economic and moral case for change. Housin for All.. We have continued to develop our alternative approach to asylum accommodation in the UK based on a decentralised, publicly owned and integrated model with the elimination of private contractors from housing people seeking safety. Key to this work has been our dynamic housing proposition, which advocates for a decentralised asylum system. In this model, responsibility for housing people seeking asylum would shift from private Home Office contractors to adequately funded local authorities. This would enable them to expand housing stock as public assets- while simultaneously ensuring locally led housing systems are available for all community members, regardless of their immigration stalus. This proposal is currently being refined through ongoing research looking at local authorities, perspectives on de￿ntraIlSation of asylum housing. By understanding the risks, related solutions and benefits which councils associate with a decentralised model, Refugee Action is ensuring the model is both practically viable and locally grounded. So far, we held a roundtable bringing together local authorities and stakeholders from West 24 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Yorkshire, and had preliminary research engagement in Northwest, West Midlands, Southwest and Southeast. In partnership with NACCOM and Asylum Matters, we co-authored the open letter "A revolution in as lum housin could transform lives and communities" which was signed by 109 organisations. Since then, the organisations have held biannual roundtables (starting in October 2024) with the Minister of Border Security and Asylum, Angela Eagle, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Lord Wajid Khan, and relevant Home Office civil servants seeking cross departmental co-production. These meetings were also attended by our trustee and Expert by Experience, Catherine Lebadou. Following our initial meeting, we produced a briefing to send to ministers, as well as a general briefing which we shared with MPS. The briefing outlined three recommendations.. Local and regional authorities should work with us to find new, collective solutions to the housing crisis, specifically for those seeking asylum. A new model should be piloted whereby Combined Authorities or Regional Strategic Migration Partnerships {RSMPs) are given the role of housing people seeking asylum. We need to improve the current system while we explore and discuss alternatives like the one we are advocating for. This includes.. a. Urgent closure of mass accommodation sites. b. Improving the move-on prO￿S$. c. Strengthening housing standard requirements. d. Strengthening accountability and compliance for the private contractors involved in asylum housing. e. Improving the mechanism for people in accommodation to submit complaints and enhance safeguarding within these spa￿s. In addition, we submitted evidence to the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into asylum accommodation that closed in February 2025. The inquiry explores current arrangements with private providers of asylum accommodation, looking at the performance of providers and the quality of the service. The inquiry also explores cooperation with Local Authorities and support for newly recognised refugees navigating the move-on period. Our evidence included our own housing research with local councils, casework from our frontline services and findings from policy workshops with Experts by Experience. 25 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Our media work has amplified these efforts. In partnership with journalists, we exposed the profiteering of asylum accommodation providers. We worked with investigators at BBC radio's File on Four programme for their "The Asylum Business" episode. This included sharing the experiences of our clients through casework examples, data on profits that Home Office contractors were making, and an interview with the Chief Executive. In a piece for Politico, we highlighted the excessive profits made by Clearsprings Ready Homes. We spoke to O enDemocrac about the lack of oversight, telling them that'a lack of transparency was allowing firms to collectively make hundreds of millions in profit while providing appalling conditions., Our work with B line Times also revealed that Britannia Hotels made almost £100,000 a day from asylum housing. Our continued work in this area contributed to the government's commitment to end hotel use. Racial Justice: In June 2024, we launched our report 'As lum in the UK." A Frontline for Racial Justice" at a central London event chaired by the journalist Gary Younge and with panellists from RAS Voice, Runnymede Trust, Migrants Rights Network and Institute of Race Relations. The report highlights how racial injustice underpins the asylum system- both structurally and through everyday experiences of discrimination. Following this, a RAS Voice-led event in Manchester featured a panel of activists and researchers with lived experience, disseminated via our social media channels. We recruited a Research Consultant to support our next report, likely to focus on the intersection of border security policies and racial justi￿. We have co-authored a parliamentary briefing with the Runnymede Trust, and joined roundtables to support racial justice causes across sectors. A joint open letter to government- released six months after the 2024 racist riots- demanded a racially just response and laid groundwork for a new coalition be￿een the racial justice and refugee rights movements. In the media, in a piece for Bi Issue we called on the Government to change its rhetoric and its policies if it wanted to avoid a repeat of the widespread disorder in the summer of 2024. Climate Justice.. Our new campaign on climate justice is developing, recognising the link betw&n climate displacement and the rights of refugees. In March 2025, staff and 5 lived experience 26 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 activists attended Campaign Accelerator Training with MobLab to incubate this work. Alongside these campaigns, we continue to engage with MPS, and our post-election advocacy strategy has already yielded success. We have secured meetings with ministers, including on housing policy, and shared 3 major briefings with over 50 MPS, covering our housing, racial justice. and general priorities. We developed key briefings on the Borders Bill, co-authored with Freedom from Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation, and another on changes to Good Character guidance, with support from Scottish Refugee Council, Freedom from Torture and Runnymede Trust. Additionally, after years of lobbying, we welcomed the government's December 2024 announcement of a pilot move-on period of 56 days, a key ask from Refugee Action and the wider sector. This year, we have continued to actively oppose legislation that undemines asylum rights. We welcomed the repeal of the Safety of Rwanda Act, which we campaigned against extensively, and noted partial repeal of the Illegal Migration Act. However, we continue to oppose the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill introduced in February 2025, working with partners like Asylum Reform Initiative and Together with Refugees to challenge its provisions. Our work was mentioned across the media in over 1,000 instances. We shared our concerns with the media on multiple fronts. Speaking to Metro we said.. "People continue to squeeze into unsafe boats to cross the Channel because the govemment refuses to open safe routes for people to reach the UK to seek asylum." In May it was revealed that the Government had considered entering into a returns agreement with Iraq. We told iNews." "Ministers must respect people's right to claim asylum. This means hearing their cases in the UK and supporting them to rebuild their lives here. Ahead of the election we spoke to a handful of outlets about what we want to see from a new Government. We told the Inde endent.. "Whoevermakes up the next govemment, they must end this hostile environment and build a refugee protection system that respects people's right to clain7 asylum, creates safe routes to reach the UK, and tackles the racism that lies at the heart of immigration policy." After the election, we spoke to Bi Issue aboutwhatwe'd like to see in the King's Speech= "The govemment has been left with a grim legacy of hostile laws such as the Illegal Migration Act and Nationality and Borders Act, which tore up the right to seek safety and left the asylum system in tatters. New legislation must repeal these acts, return the 27 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 fundamental right to claim asylum, and introduce new routes for refugees to reach the UK so they do not have to put their lives in the hands of people smugglers." Services: Our 2023-25 objective is to disrupt how the hostile asylum and immigration system strips people seeking safety of their rights so that they can live in dignity and thrive in our country by: a) Supporting 3,000 people living within the asylum system to defend their rights and help them thrive. b) Supporting 2,000 resettled refugees to defend their rights and help them thrive. "I feel very scared. They have told us we can't leave the hotel and to close all windows and blinds in case protestors come and become aggressive. The situation is not good for my mental health. I have been having panic attacks all week. I have been in the hotel with my family for nearty two years. I know this is for our safety, but it has become like living in a prison. l am praying every day for this craziness to stop. Person seeking asylum during riots in the UK in Summer 2024. The last year has seen a disturbing rise in far-right activity and ra￿ hate incidents, with people seeking asylum targeted during riots. This violence is set against a wider context of the UK'S hostile environment- a system designed to make every part of the asylum process more difficult, from the claim itself, to housing, access to healthcare and services, and the right to remain. Key challenges included.. Inadequate accommodation, often in hotels with no cooking facilities, poor food, and unsafe conditions, especially for vulnerable individuals and families. Systemic administrative errors, leaving people without housing or financial support, requiring expert intervention to resolve. Lack of accessible legal advice, meaning many were unaware of their rights or unable to exercise them. Severe impacts on mental health, especially for those who have already experienced trauma. The asylum system's dehumanising approach can erode even the strongest sense of resilience. Our frontline teams work every day to counter this, alongside a team of 50 volunteers- providing casework, legal advice, and practical support to help people defend their rights and move towards safety and stability. In the past year, across our asylum services we saw 3,784 people with complex cases who needed specialist knowledge and support which they could not access elsewhere. 28 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 lum Crisis- "They helped me a lot, to take me from where I was to where l am right now, from homeless and now I sleep inside. I will never forget. I wanted to give up but you did not give up and kept me strong until the end . I've been in the country for 9 years and I've never seen such things like the way your company works hard. You stood up to help me and made me realise others were there too." Client supported by Asylum Crisis Manchester team. Staff working on our Asylum Crisis projects in London, Manchester, Bradford and CARE in the West Midlands (the Clients Access to Rights and Essentials project) work to counter these barriers and to assist clients who would otherwise be destitute, helping them with applications for asylum support, including accommodation and financial aid from the Home Office. This project ensures that vulnerable individuals receive the necessary support to prevent destitution and improve their living conditions. 1,780 people were supported across these projects this year, with 246 beneficiaries receiving tier 1 advice and 1,534 beneficiaries accessing complex casework. Within this the team.. Supported 732 people into accommodation and financial support. Supported 239 people to challenge the cessation of their accommodation. Assisted 209 beneficiaries to access or prevent the cessation of financial support or resolve issues with incorrect rates, fines or deductions. Assisted 77 beneficiaries directly with their asylum claim through legal advice, referral, challenge to withdrawal of claim or support to submit appeal. Supported 648 households to escape or avoid homelessness and destitution or move from inadequate accommodation and support to that which was more appropriate and suitable to their needs. Made 91 appeals and 88 public law challenges, with a success rate of more than 95 % on applications and challenges. Demand for our Asylum Crisis services rose significantly following the racist riots last summer and due to changes in asylum policy- including new.good character" guidance affecting citizenship applications after 10 February 2025. These changes exclude individuals who entered the UK "illegally" or via "dangerous journeys" from meeting citizenship criteria. We have seen an increase in clients seeking advocacy, information, and support in the face of these developments. In Greater Manchester, we delivered Welcome Briefings in five hotels for people who have claimed asylum but lack access to accommodation. These sessions, delivered with the support of 7 volunteers and attended by 634 people across 5 hotels, help individuals understand their rights, learn about local services, and prepare for the refugee 29 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 move-on process. 1000A of attendees who completed monitoring forms reported increased understanding of the refugee move-on prO￿sS and steps they would need to take National Immi ration Advice Service "I was going to be homeless, wasn't eligible for acGommodation and financial help and my asylum claim was withdrawn. Refugee Action managed to get the papernork reinstated, which then made me eligible for accommodation. A few months later I'm not homeless, I'm living in a nice place, me and baby are eating well" Client supported by the NIAS team. Due to the limited availability of Legal Aid, many people are left without the legal support they need to navigate the asylum process. NIAS provides accredited immigration advice to asylum seekers, refused asylum seekers, and refugees. These are often complex cases that require substantial expertise. In the past year, NIAS supported 595 people, submitted 84 applications, and had 38 approved (with others pending). The team focuses on particularly vulnerable clients those with complex mental health issues, children, and individuals with safeguarding concerns. We worked with our Asylum Crisis Teams to combat the hostile environment by providing representation to clients who had their asylum claims withdrawn for insubstantial reasons, such as not receiving the invitation to interview letter, not updating the Home Office regarding a change of address etc. Earl Hel & BRAVE in Bradford: Our Early Help project in Bradford offers specialist casework support to asylum-seeking families, helping them register with schools and GPS, access services, and participate in community activities. Working within the Local Authority's Early Help framework, the project has supported 160 families last year - many of whom were excluded from universal services due to systemic barriers. Occupational Therapy students on pla￿ment helped develop a self-care model to assist families in managing stress and anxiety. Weekly family sessions provide safe spaces for informal play, social connection, and peer support. "It has helped me understand how important it is to notice that child￿n need big Care of their wellbeing.. l am honestly so grateful for the organisation of these sessions and the warmth and the safe area... Parent from the Early Help psychoeducational group. Key successes from this period include over 75 % of cases resolved under Level 2 or 3 without escalating to statutory social care. In addition to this, 81 people were supported with housing issues, 96 with financial support, and 77 with accessing 30 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 universal services. Crucially, 1000/0 of parents and children reporting improvement in their social and emotional development and increased engagement with the community. Also in Bradford, Bradford Refugee & Asylum Volts Equality (BRAVE) group empowers people seeking asylum to share their skills for the benefit of others, fostering a sense of community and belonging. The group of 12 volunteers all of whom have lived experien￿ of the asylum system in the UK - has supported 615 people over the past year. The volunteers design and deliver a variety of activities and sessions throughout the year some of which involve the volunteers using their own skills and expertise including providing haircuts and beauty therapy. Some of the highlights from the past year have been.. Delivering a weekly wellbeing and integration session where the group attendees were able to access various activities including family art and craft sessions, dance and singing sessions, information sessions about local services and opportunities. We were also able to come together as a community to celebrate cultural and religious events including Christmas and Eid. Co-ordinating with local churches and community groups in the Bradford area to collect Christmas presents and distribute them to over 150 families. Our three-month summer gardening club was a huge success this year, giving people seeking asylum a therapeutic, and educational environment to take part in gardening activities, foster community integration, and promote overall wellbeing. A lot of the members found the gardening program useful and enabled them to learn from each other and share their previous skills and experience. Every other week delivering an information session at a local asylum hotel covering the local area, completing needs assessments resulting in referrals and signposting people to local services. We also provided art and craft activities for families in hotels to reduts isolation and bring people together outside of their restrictive living conditions. The BRAVE group coordinated 8 different trips including one 3 days residential for families with children {around 40 people for each trip) and a trip to a local nature reserve. The feedback from the families who have attended the trips has been incredibly positive.. "I don't think you need to do anything to n7ake it better, it is an amazing trip, my mum was enjoyed too much and my son as well." The place is an7azing, I love the view, l also love the food, and the kindness of people there is unbelievable. The asylum system has a profound and negative impact on mental health, particularly for people who have already experienced trauma. Our wellbeing sessions and partnership with specialist therapeutic servi￿$ aim to counteract this. Our Commitment 31 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 to a dignified, trauma-informed, and rights-based approach remains at the core of all our Se￿iceS. Resetllement & Integration 'I've already told five people [about the library, gallery and museum] and three have already visited and enjoyed it. You pass these places, and you don't know that there is treasure inside" Client feedback from Share, Connect, Grow local orientation session. Over the last year, Refugee Action has provided crucial support to over 1.000 refugees, across our resettlement Servi￿$, helping them integrate into their community and rebuild their lives in safety in the UK. These services are designed to support people who arrive in the UK through formal resettlement schemes, such as the UK Resettlement Scheme, the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). In the past, Refugee Action has provided support in accessing statutory and local services, guidance on housing and financial matters, and a designated case worker to help individuals or families begin to rebuild their lives in safety. Unfortunately, the UK continues to offer only a very limited number of safe and legal routes through resettlement programmes and the scope of these programmes is shrinking each year. As a result, some of our Resettlement projects are now approaching closure. The Navigator Project in Birmingham will come to an end in June 2025, making this the final year of the service, following a Notice of Contract Expiry from Birmingham City Council. This project has been pivotal in supporting over 100 local organisations and delivering essential services to Syrian and Afghan families navigating complex support systems. The Navigator team has made a lasting impact on the city, offering tailored casework, advocacy, and community engagement. Highlights from this year include organising a Refugee Football Tournament for boys aged ￿16, which brought together 31 young people for a day of sport and connection. One parent shared.. "My son was so happy for attending the session, he made new friends, and he liked the environment. I was also pleased with the activity." In Liverpool, our resettlement work this year has primarily focused on supporting Afghan clients arriving through Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). From August 2024 onwards, referrals to our seNices declined significantly. This was due in large part to challenges fa￿d by local authorities, especially in sourcing suitable housing. Many clients who were initially placed in temporary accommodation have since been relocated to other areas of the UK. In addition to Afghan clients, we were able to support a small number of families arriving from Gaza, offering intensive support during the first 6-8 weeks of their arrival, as well 32 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 as a few Chagossian families who were housed in the area for 6 to 8 weeks. Also in Liverpool, the Share, Connect, Grow programme has flourished over the past year, engaging 290 refugees and displaced people through 47 sessions designed to build confidence, community connection, and knowledge of life in the UK. Co-produced with people with lived experien￿, the project has been shaped and delivered alongside 8 dedicated volunteers, ensuring activities remain relevant, accessible, and empowering. Participants have enjoyed a wide range of sessions, including arts and culture walking tours, health workshops, and local orientation visits, which have strengthened their sense of belonging and understanding of available servI￿s. Clients have reported increased confidence in navigating public systems, forming new friendships, and ac￿SsIng opportunities to participate more fully in their new community. With a strong foundation now in place, the project continues to grow with new activities planned, an established venue, and a Learning Partner on board to support continued impact and learning. Our resettlement ServI￿S in Solihull continued steadily over the year. While service provision has remained consistent, the shrinking scale of national resettlement programmes and increasingly limited safe routes into the UK have intrOdU￿d further uncertainty into the future of local provision. While we remain proud of our work in resettlement, we must acknowledge that funding for these programmes is depleting, and the reduction in safe routes into the UK is directly impacting both the number of people we can support and the sustainability of our servI￿s. Nonetheless, we continue to advocate for a more just, coordinated, and well- funded national approach to resettlement - one that supports those rebuilding their lives in the UK and ensures the infrastructure is in place to support them every step of the way. Pathways to Work "You have given me hope. l am in such a helpless situation, but this course has given me hope that l Gan now move fO￿ard. I can do something" Pathvvays to Woth participant. Despite bringing experience, ambition and professional qualifications, many refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK are locked out of employment for months or years by legal restrictions and systemic barriers. From engineers and graphic designers to pharmacists and project managers, people find themselves waiting in limbo, unable to earn an income or plan for the future. Pathways to Work is our national, digital employability programme that helps people take meaningful steps towards rebuilding their careers- often before they even have the legal right to work. It offers early, person-centred support that builds confidence and enables people to prepare for the transition into employment long before most mainstream Se￿iceS are accessible. 33 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Over the last year, we supported 292 refugees and people seeking asylum through the programme, offering.. A structured 8-week employability course, including goal setting, job market insights and functional English for work. Professional mentoring from people working in participants, sectors of interest. Tailored one-to-one advice on career planning, CVS, interviews and qualification recognition. Clients join us from across England thanks to the programme's flexible, fully remote delivery. For many, it is their first real opportunity to prepare for employment in a way that recognises both their professional skills and the complexity of their circumstances. In the past year.. 940/0 of clients from group cohorts were in education, employment or training six months after completing the course. 100 % of group participants improved their Confiden￿ in all ten areas measured in our outcomes tool. 770fi of clients re￿Iving 1-to-1 support reported improved wellbeing. 750/0 of participants felt ready to enter employment, education or volunteering and 670fi said they had a better understanding of UK workplace culture. 51 people were matched with mentors. The strength of Pathways to Work lies in its flexibility, its early intervention model, and its deep belief in the potential of each person. For people navigating an uncertain and often hostile asylum system, it offers more than employment preparation it offers agency, connection, and hope. EbE & Partnerships: Our 2023-25 objective is to work with our partners to build our sector's expertise and ability to combat the hostile environment through sharing research and learnings, convening and holding space so we can collaboratively tackle our shared challenges and supporting a shared journey towards removing barriers to power for refugees and model the future refugee support system we will need. a) Conducting regular surveys to understand how refugees, people seeking asylum and migrants are feeling and experiencing so that we can measure our progress towards our goals and any insights or trends can inform our planning. During this period, our Good Practice and Partnerships team was renamed to reflect the full scope of the work carried out by the team, becoming the EbE & Partnerships team. This department works collaboratively with grassroots and sector-wide partners across 34 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 the UK to strengthen the refugee and asylum support landscape. Our aim is to build the sector's collective capacity to challenge and dismantle the hostile environment, share open-access research and resources, and drive more equitable power structures within the refugee and asylum system. Frontline Immi ration Pro ect FIAP FIAP was established in response to the growing legal aid crisis and widespread 'legal aid deserts, that leave many people seeking asylum without a¢￿$S to qualified legal support. The project focuses on training and equipping partner organisations and refugee-led groups to deliver accredited immigration advi￿ themselves. This year, we developed the new FIAP 2030 Strate alongside the accompanying research report, 'Rootin lived ex erience in the FIAP strate the cornerstone of our strategy. This foundational report ensures the strategy is grounded in the insights and voices of practitioners with lived experience, who make up approximately 42°/0 of our partners.. "[FIAP] is also empoLvering, can pass on knowledge, and make an impact on people's lives. Empowering for everyone, for me, for volunteers, for the organisation as a whole." Over the past year, we trained 848 individuals from at least 193 organisations across 15 specialist courses. This has led to an Unpre￿dented 129 exam passes, including 71 at Level 1 and 39 at Level 2. In addition to supporting people to access and pass training to become legal advisors, our team ran courses on evisas, Care Workers on Skilled Work Visas, Statelessness, EUSS casework, and Country of Origin information in partnership with other organisations- all issues that our students and partner organisations had highlighted as necessary. As well as supporting individuals to pass training and assessments, we have worked with partner organisations to enable them to register with the Immigralion Advice Authority (previously OISC). This year 6 organisations have registered at Level 1; organisations have registered or raised levels to Level 2; 2 organisations have registered or raised levels to Level 3. In the same period, 3 organisations have secured a legal aid contract. By investing in people and organisations, FIAP helps ensure that more people seeking asylum have access to timely, expert legal advice - ultimately improving outcomes and access to justice within the UK immigration system. Insi ht to Action.. Refugee Action's Insight to Action programme continues to play a vital role in strengthening the refugee and migration sector across the UK. Rooted in collaboration and the open sharing of learning, the programme helps organisations build the capacity, insight and Confiden￿ they need to respond effectively to crises, influence policy, and 35 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 centre anti-racism in their work. Through open-source research and testing of practical solutions, the programme enables organisations to develop more effective, informed responses. It also works to improve the availability and quality ofdata on sector needs and to support organisations to embed racial justice and allyship across their operations. In 2024, we consulted members of our Insight Hub to understand their priorities for the future of the project. The top priorities were providing insights on emerging crises (86°/0), gathering intelligence on operational challenges {80°/.>, and sharing information on developments across the sector (76°A). These priorities directly informed our activities throughout the year. In September 2024, we organised a special session on Responding to RaGlSt Violence, attended by over 65 organisations across the UK. The session addressed urgent themes raised by the riots, including safety, racial justice, wellbeing, and the impact on Se￿1￿ delivery. Our resour￿ pack from the session is now available on our microsite and has been shared with 721 organisations. In October, we launched Survey 26, focusing on the first 100 days of the new government and issues of community safety and cohesion. Ahead of the survey, we hosted a planning call attended by 65 participants, ensuring the content reflected the sector's concerns. Survey findings revealed that over 500fi of respondents had already engaged with the new government, and while 86% wished to influence policy, 470fi said they lacked the resources to do so. Notably, 69C/+o reported a shift in the government's approach to refugee and asylum issues, often involving quicker decision-making and broader dispersal across the UK. During the summer riots, 94°/o of organisations undertook risk or threat assessments or crisis planning. 650/0 engaged with the police, reporting generally positive experiences, while contact with the Home Office remained minimal and largely unhelpful. Communication, Collaboration, and a focus on safety were central to the sector's response. Following the survey, we hosted a follow-up call attended by 42 people, with presentations from organisations including Hope Not Hate, Asylum Matters, Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, and others. This space also welcomed speakers with lived experience, such as Patrick Masebo from Manchester Refugee Support Network and the GREAT! (Greater Manchester Refugees and Asylum Seekers Together) group, who shared perspectives on how policy and safety challenges are experienced on the ground. lore Ada t Renew This year, our EAR (Explore Adapt Renew} programme reached its conclusion and its transformative impact on the sector is undeniable. The EAR Programme was a three- 36 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 year national partnership with Action Foundation, Bristol Refugee Rights, Brushstrokes, Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum {NNRF), Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (PAFRAS), Refugee Women Connect and Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers (SDCAS) which began in January 2021 and was a continuation of the previous Early Action Partnership which started in 2017. Its goal was to transform the asylum sector in England by creating services that are adaptive, grounded in early action, and driven by organisations committed to ￿ntrIng lived experien￿ and collaboration. Some of the key achievements of the programme are.. 19,915 asylum seekers and refugees ac￿SSed high-quality frontline services focused on prevention and crisis de-escalation within their communities. Supported 179 organisations in taking proactive steps to centre lived experience in all aspects of service design, delivery, advocacy, and community development. 439 EBES have been engaged in EAR partnership activities, with 241 EBES securing a role within an organisation in the partner local areas. Through the EBE Leaders Programme, 27 leaders with lived experience of forced displacement have taken part in leadership development opportunities and worked with sector partners to transform the role of lived experience in the refugee sector. Sustainable Growth: Investing our resources responsibly to achieve sustainable financial growth so that we can reach and empower even more people seeking safety by: a) Keep our monthly income and expenditure in line with our budget. b) Roll out a new integrated income generation strategy and invest in fundraising so we can achieve financial sustainability by the end of the financial year in 2025. In response to the financial risks laid out earlier in the report, trustees signed off investment into fundraising to enable sustainable growth. Over the past year, we have worked diligently to build a strong, robust fundraising team. We have set ambitious growth plans over the coming five years but expect growth in resources to start from 26127. Over the next three years we are planning a 27 percent increase in income, and by year five the per￿ntage increase will be 45 % enabling us to grow our impact and reach and empower more refugees in the UK. We have also invested in Data and Insight in the organisation to really dig into the impact of our work, and ensure we are delivering the best possible impact for the resources available. Staff wellbeing: Our 2023-25 objective is to develop a work culture which is centred on well-being and encourages dats-driven learning. empowering staff to 37 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 hold boundaries. to practice self-care, and to hold each other and selves to account on upholding our anti-racist values so that we as an organisation can ultimately achieve our mission. by: a) Introducing a well-being support model to help staff cope in the current hostile external context. b} Continuing our anti-racism learning journey and make sure our learnings are shared and actsd on across the organisation. c) Reviewing our approach to data as an organisation and taking fonNard the recommendations. Our staff work within an increasingly hostile political and social environment, committed to protecting the rights of people seeking safety in the UK. The impact of this environment, marked by dehumanising and punitive immigration policies, deeply affects our staff, especially those working directly with traumatised clients. 36 °/oof our stsff members have personal, lived experience of the UK'S hostile immigration system. Many also have family, friends, or community ties to regions facing genocide, war, or other global crises, adding layers of emotional and psychological strain. We take the wellbeing of our team seriously. Vicarious trauma, particularly among frontline staff but also across other areas of the organisation, is a real concern. In response, we regularly survey our staff to better understand their experiences and how best to support them. A wellbeing survey conducted during this period found that= 77.3°A of stsff feel that Refugee Action cares about their wellbeing. 70.30/0 believe the organisation is able to support them when their wellbeing is impacted. 71.60/0 say the working environment is inclusive and encourages open conversations about mental health. 78.30/0 feel confident discussing their mental health with their line manager. In recent years, significant events have further challenged staff wellbeing. The rise in racist rhetoric surrounding the UK General Election and the racist riots of summer 2024 where people seeking asylum and racialised communities were targeted - had a profound emotional impact across the organisation. To foster resilience and mutual support, Refugee Action has continued to invest in staff networks and wellbeing services. The Anti-Racism Support Ne￿Ork (ARSN) has become a valued and vital space for staff from racialised and ethnically minoritised backgrounds. Meeting monthly and maintaining an active online group, the ne￿Ork provides a safe environment to share experiences, celebrate identity, and raise concerns. Attending ARSN meetings is recognised as part of working time, and feedback from staff continues to affirm the importance of this space. 38 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 In addition to our Employee Assistance Programme, we recognised the need for more specialised support. Over the past year, we have worked in partnership with Thrive Worldwide to offer tailored wellbeing sessions for staff. These sessions provided space to process pressures in a safe environment, while also equipping individuals with practical tools to adapt, build resilience, and foster a sense of belonging. The programme included modules on stress management. internal and external resilience strategies, mindset development, and personal action planning. Alongside these initiatives, Refugee Action has continued its organisation-wide Learning Journey on Anti-Racism, facilitated by an external specialist. The three-phase prO￿sS included foundational learning on anti-racism, opportunities for open discussion and reflection, and the beginning of a collective vision for the future. Staff contributed their insights and hopes, laying the groundwork for meaningful change. In the coming year, our Senior Leadership Team will begin to assess and implement the next steps in this journey. At every level of the organisation, we remain committed to fostering a Workpla￿ where wellbeing, inclusion, and racial justice are not only prioritised but meaningfully embedded into our culture. 39 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025-26 In our 2030 strategy, we have set out the following goals: Removing barriers to power for refugees so that they are at the heart of the national conversation on refugee rights and protection. Building a positive movement for change to shift political and societal attitudes towards refugees and people seeking asylum. Fighting for the rights of people seeking safety so that they can live with dignity, feel recognised for all that they are, and ultimately thrive. Playing our part in building a resilient, innovative, power-aware sector that collaboratively works to remove barriers to power for refugees, shift political and societal attitudes and fight for the rights of people seeking safety. Growing our resources so we can reach and empower more refugees. Modelling a power-aware, anti-racist working culture where we put the well- being of people first and they are empowered to learn, grow and lead. To work towards this in 2025-26, Refugee Action will continue to respond to the urgent and growing needs of people facing the daily realities of the hostile environment. Across Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and Bradford, our Asylum Services will support people through expert casework and advocacy, particularly around housing, financial support, and access to healthcare and education. Through BRAVE, we are exploring new ways to build resilience, deepen connection, and centre lived experien￿, while piloting women's wellbeing groups and strengthening hotel-based advice models. Lastly, we will focus on developing our Legal Advi￿ offer through NIAS, in collaboration with the Asylum Crisis and FIAP projects. A new lived experience steering group within Asylum Services will guide the direction of work, ensuring that those most affected are shaping the support they receive. Our campaigns will continue to focus on key themes of housing, work and racial justice. In 2025, we will continue to challenge the use of private contracts in asylum accommodation and advocate for a locally led, non-profit model. Following a successful parliamentary event and mini-report, our Lift the Ban campaign will continue with new momentum, bringing together decision-makers and business leaders to push for change. Alongside this, our racial justice campaign will respond to harmful rhetoric and legislation while producing a participatory action report exposing racist border practices in the UK and across the Channel. We will continue combining insider and outsider influencing strategies, always shaped by activists with lived experien￿. At the heart of all this work is the leadership of people with lived experience. In the year ahead, we'll strengthen the Experts by Experience Steering Group, expand paid consultancy roles, and continue to support RAS Voice to lead national campaigns and 40 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 events. Our Anti-Racism Support Ne￿Ork will remain a space for staff from racialised backgrounds to connect and shape internal practice. Across the sector, we'll work with at least 65 organisations, over half of them refugee-led, through the Insight Hub. In our resettlement work, we'll expand c0-produ￿d services and explore new tenders. A key priority is embedding anti-racism in safeguarding, ensuring people are protected through frameworks rooted in dignity, equity and trust. Together, these plans reflect our commitment to creating a future where people seeking safety are supported to lead change. In every area of our work, from frontline ServI￿S to national campaigns, we are driven by the belief that those most affected by the asylum system must be at the centre of shaping its transformation. As we look ahead to 2025- 26, we remain focused on dismantling injustice, building collective power, and working alongside refugees and people seeking safety to create a more just, welcoming and inclusive society. 41 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Thank you to our supporters and partners. We achieve nothing alone. Everything we do at Refugee Action, and the difference we make, is the result of the support we receive and those with whom we Collaborate. Our funders and donors: Many thanks to the trusts, foundations, companies and individuals who have made significant grants this year to support our work including those who wish to remain anonymous. AB Charitable Trust Allen & Overy Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Bradford Children and Families Trust Bradford Integrated Care Board Clifford Chance LLP JUSACA Charitable Trust Lloyds Bank Foundation P2G LLP PayPal Giving Fund Stanley Johnson Thompson Foundation Swire Charitable Trust Comic Relief The Aurum Charitable Trust Co-op Foundation Garfield Weston Foundation Greater London Authority Greater Manchester Combined Authority The Jongen Charrtable Trust LEF The National Lottery Community Fund The Oglesby Charitable Trust The Utley Foundation Refugee Action is also funded with the support of the Mercers, Charitable Foundation. We would additionally like to thank Bell Foundation for donating funds restricted to our Pathways to Work project and to The Barrow Cadbury Trust for funds restricted to our campaigning work. Finally, we would like to thank Anthony Marland and Ann Patricia Clarke for their incredibly generous legacy gifts. 42 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Services, Campaigns and Good Practice and Partnerships parlners: Thank you also to every organisation with whom we have partnered and collaborated with on our Services, Campaigns and Good Practice & Partnerships work. Aberlour Childcare Trust AC￿sS- Supporting Migrants in East Anglia Action for Community Development Advi￿ Nl Afghan Association Paiwand Afghan Society in the West Midlands Abigail Housing ACH Action Foundation Afghan Association of London Afghan Community Association African French Speaking Community Support After18 African Rainbow Family Aid Box Community ASHA North Staffordshire ARC Blackburn ASSIST Asylum Aid Asylum Link Merseyside Asylum Reform Initiative Asylum Support Appeals Project ATLEU Asylum Justi Asylum Matters Asylum Welcome AVID Bahar Women's Association Bail for Immigration Detainees Baobab Women's Project Bangladesh, South East & Central Asia Centre Barking and Dagenham Citizens Advice Bureau BEACON Begin Bevan Foundation Black Country ICB Boaz Trust Borough of Sanctuary Sandwell Bradford Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Survivors Service Barnardo's Nl Bea￿00d Hub Belong Big Leaf Foundation Bloody Good Period Borderlands Bradford City of Sanctuary BRASP (Bristol Consortium) BRASS (Befriending Refugees And Asylum Seekers) Bridges for Communities Bridge2 Bristol Citizens Advi 43 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Bristol City of Sanctuary Bristol Law Centre Bristol Refugee Rights Brownlow Health Group Brushstrokes Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum Cardinal Hume Centre Carriers of Hope Bristol Hospitality Network Bristol Refugee Festival British Red Cross Brushstrokes Community Project CARAS Care4Calais Central Scotland Regional Equality Council CFAB Children and Families Across Borders Chapeltown Citizens Advi￿ Bureau Chartered Institute for Housing CHAWREC (Cheshire, Halton & Warrington Race & Equality Centre) Citizens Advice Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole Citizens Advice Eastleigh Citizens Advice Hart Citizens Advice North Yorkshire (aka North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre) Citizens Advice Reading Citizens Advice Rotherham Citizens Advice Sheffield Citizens Advice Southwark Citizens Advice Test Valley City Church Newcastle, City Refugee Welcome CHATS CIAC Humber Citizens Advice East Hampshire Citizens Advice Gosport Citizens Advi￿ Liverpool Citizens Advice Portsmouth Citizens Advice Redbridge Citizens Advice Rushmoor Citizens Advice Southampton Citizens Advice Tadley Citizens Advice York City Hearts City Life Education And Action For Refugees City of Sanctuary UK Communities and Sanctuary Seekers Together Community Farm Community Welfare servI￿s Cotton Tree Trust Crisis City of Sanctuary Sheffield Claremount Living Community Arts by ZK Community Southwark Connections at St Martins Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Culture Bridge Derby Bosnia & Herzegovina Centre Detention Action Doctors of the World Doncaster Council East European Resource Centre Elshub Educational Learning Support Hub Da'aro Youth Project Destitute Asylum Seekers Huddersfield Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support Doncaster Conversation Club Eagles Wing Ella's Entraide Mutual Aid Eritrean Community in UK Europia Families Kinnected Ltd Ethiopian Community in Britain Evelyn Oldfield Unit Farsi Action Foundation Fatima House Freedom From Torture Funders for Race Equality Alliance GARAS Glass Door Homeless Charity GMCA Foodbanks: MICAH & Trussell Trust Friends without Borders Galeforce Productions GLA Migration Team Global Link Good Faith Partnership Good Jobs First Great Yarmouth Refugee Outreach and Support Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit Greater Manchester Law Centre Groundwork London Guildford Hongkongers Halesowen Welcome Govan Community Project Hackney Migrant Centre Halton TSS Hanseatic Union Harrow Association of Somali Voluntary Organisations HEAR Helen Bamber Foundation Helping Empower Lives in Peterborough Herefordshire City Council Hibiscus Initiatives Home4U Homeless Link Hongkongers in Britain Hope Projects Horn Horizon HOST House of Polish & European Community Housing Justice Housing Matters (Formerly CHAS Bristol) Humber Community Advice servI￿s Humraaz Support servI￿s Ileys Community Association Institute for Public Policy Research Haringey Migrant Support Centre 45 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Immigration & Asylum Support Kirklees (formerly DASH) International Rescue Comittee International Community Organisation of Sunderland Iranian & Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation Jesuit Refugee Service Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants JET Northeast Justice and Care Joining Communities Together Justice First Justice Together Initiative Kairos Housing Kanlungan Filipino Consortium Karmabank CIC Kells Family Resour￿ Centre Kent Refugee Action Network King's Arms Project Kirklees Law Centre Lancashire County Council Latin American Women's Aid Latin American Women's Rights SeNice Leeds Refugee Forum Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network Liverpool Adult Services Liverpool CCG & Women's Hospital Liverpool Law Clinic Make a Difference Manchester City of Sanctuary Manchester Refugee Support Network Manuel Bravo Project Medaille Trust Mental Health Foundation Merseyside Law Centre Micro Rainbow Migrant Advice Centre for East and Migrant Advocacy SeNice (formerly South-East Asians Independant Yemen Group} Migrant Destitution Fund Migrants at Work Migration Policy and Practice Migration Work Molay Solutions Moulana Nechells POD New Routes Integration Migrant Centre Nl Migrant Help Migrants Organise Ltd Migrants Rights Ne￿Ork Migration Yorkshire Morton Hall Visitors Group NACCOM New Citizens Gateway (formerly Barnet Refugee Service) Newcastle City Council Newham Somali Association NOAH Enterprise North East Solidarity and Teaching Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Newcastle University NHS Highland North East Law Centre North of England Refugee Service Northumbria Poli 46 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Council Notre Dame Refugee Centre Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum Nottingham City Council Oasis Hub Waterloo Open Door North East Penrith Eden Refugee Network Play for Progress Polish Migrants Organise for Change Positive Action for Family and Youth Positive Action Housing Nottingham Arimathea Trust Nottingham Law Centre One Stop Advi￿ Centre Pendle New Neighbours PIE Scotland Plymouth Hope Portsmouth City of Sanctuary Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers Praxis Community Projects Quaker Social Action Rainbow Migration Refuge Refugee Action Colchester Refugee Action York Project Mama Rainbow Haven Reach Beyond l Millside Centre Refugee & Migrant Centre Refugee Action Kingston Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex and London Refugee Council Refugee Education UK Refugee Educations And Training Advice Refugee Futures Stockton Service Refugee Legal Support Refugee Support Devon Refugee Roots Refugee Support Group {formerly Reading Refugee Support Group) Refugee Women Connect Refugee, Asylum and Migrant Action Release Reset Refugee Welcome Homes Refugee Women of Bristol Refugees and Mentors Reporting Solidarity (formerly Signing Support) Restore Reunite Families UK Right to Remain Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance Rural Refugee Ne￿Ork Safe Passage Salem Health Project Revive Room to Heal Royal Courts of Justi￿ Advice Safe in Scotland Sahir House 47 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Salusbury WORLD Sanctuary in Chichester Sandwell Children's Trust Sandwell Homelessness partnership Scottish Detainee Visitors Sector 3 Sheffield Hallam University RFR Law Clinic Samphire Sandwell Advice Providers Network Sandwell Council Sandwell New Arrivals Partnership Scottish Refugee Council Sheffield City of Sanctuary Shelter Shpresa Programme Single Homelessness Project Soha Housing Solace Women's Aid Slough Refugee Support South London Refugee Association South West London Law Centres South Tyrone Empowerment Programme South Yorkshire Refugee Law and Justice Southampton City Council Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group Southampton City of Sanctuary Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers Southwark Refugee Communities Forum Spring Housing St Augustine's Centre St Chad's Sanctuary St Vincent's Centre Bradford Staffordshire Metropolitan Borough Council Stand Against Racism & Inequality Staffordshire North and Stoke on Trent Citizens Advi￿ Bureau Stockport Loaves and Fishes Streatham Drop-ln Centre For Asylum Seekers And Refugees Sudan Forum Wales Support for Wigan Arrivals Project (SWAP) Syrian Community Council Test Valley Borough Council The Destitution Project The Girlington Centre The Institute of Race Relations The Ra￿ Equality Centre Stockport Race Equality Partnership Street Outreach Team Sufra NW London Swindon City of Sanctuary Taban The Clement James Centre The Gap The Haven The Newbigin Trust The Refugee Buddy Project 48 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 The Refugee, Asylum and Migration Policy (RAMP) Project The Runnymede Trust The Unity Project Together With Migrant Children UK Trauma Council The Southeast Strategic Partnership for Migration (SESPM) Time to be Out Trauma Foundation South West University of Bedfordshire Refugee Legal Assistance Project University of Leicester Law Clinic University of London Refugee Law Clinic University of Birmingham University of Liverpool & LJMU Law Clinic University of Plymouth Law Clinic Upbeat Communities Waltham Forest Migrant Action Welcome Churches West End Refugee SeNice West of Scotland Regional Equality Council {WSREC) Wirral Change Women with Hope Yaran North West University of Sheffield Vol￿S in Exile Waverley Care Welsh Refugee Council West London Welcome Winchester City of Sanctuary Women for Refugee Women Writers in Exile YMCA York Migrant Solidarity Youth Legal Young Roots 49 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Statement of trustees, responsibilities The trustees (who are the directors of Refugee Action for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and application of resources: including the income and expenditure of the charitable company for the year. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to.. Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently., Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP., Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent., State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements., Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence fortaking reasonable steps forthe detection and prevention of fraud and other irregularities. Statement of disclosure of information to auditors There is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company's auditor is unaware. The trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information, and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity's website. Legislation in the U K governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. Moore Kingston Smith LLP were appointed as auditors during the year and Moore 50 REFUGEE ACTION TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Kingston Smith LLP is appointed as the upcoming auditors. This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 15th December 2025 and signed on their behalf by: Penny Lawrence Chair of the Board of Trustees 51 REFUGEE ACTION INDEPENDENT AUDITORS. REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF REFUGEE ACTION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Opinion We have audited the financial statements of Refugee Action (the charitable company) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland, (United Kingdom Generally AC￿pted Accounting Practice). In our opinion the financial statements: give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2025 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended., have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom GenerallyAccepted Accounting Practice., and have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the CompaniesAct 2006. Basis for opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAS {UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC'S Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Conclusions relating to going concern In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees, use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. 52 REFUGEE ACTION INDEPENDENT AUDITORS. REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF REFUGEE ACTION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Other information The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not coverthe other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any fom of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit= the information given in the trustees, annual report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements., and the trustees, annual report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Matters on which we are required to report by exception In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees, annual report. We have nothing to report in respect ofthe following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion.. adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or the financial ststements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns., or certain disclosures of trustees, remuneration specified by law are not made., or 53 REFUGEE ACTION INDEPENDENT AUDITORS. REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF REFUGEE ACTION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies exemption in preparing the trustees, annual report and from preparing a strategic report. Responsibilities of trustees As explained more fully in the trustees, responsibilities statement set out on page 50, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company orto cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. Auditor's Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assuran￿, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAS (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to Influen￿ the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. As part of an audit in accordance with ISAS (UK) we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also.. Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. 54 REFUGEE ACTION INDEPENDENT AUDITORS. REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF REFUGEE ACTION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit prO￿dureS that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the charitable company's internal control. Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees. Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees, use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor's report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charitable company to cease to continue as a going concern. Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation. We communicate with those charged with governan￿ regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit. Explanation as to what extent the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-complian￿ with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below. The objectives of our audit in respect of fraud, are,. to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud., to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate responses to those assessed risks., and to respond appropriately to InStan￿S of fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both management and those charged with governance of the charitable company. 55 REFUGEE ACTION INDEPENDENT AUDITORS. REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF REFUGEE ACTION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Our approach was as follows: We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the charitable company and considered that the most significant are the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011. We obtained an understanding of how the Charitable company complies with these requirements by discussions with management and those charged with governance. We assessed the risk of material misstatement of the financial statements, including the risk of material misstatement due to fraud and how it might occur, by holding discussions with management and those charged with governance. We inquired of management and those charged with governan￿ as to any known instances of non-compliance or suspected non-complian￿ with laws and regulations. Based on this understanding, we designed specific appropriate audit procedures to identify instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. This included making enquiries of management and those charged with governan￿ and obtaining additional corroborative evidence as required. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations that are not closely related to events and transactions reflected in the financial statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion. Use of our report This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to any party other than the charitable company and charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. 56 REFUGEE ACTION INDEPENDENT AUDITORS. REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF REFUGEE ACTION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 IMoorL tzinas £.,k4 LLP Samir Chandoo (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP, Statutory Auditor 6th Floor 9 Appold Street London EC2A 2AP Date.. 15 December 2025 57 REFUGEE ACTION STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Restricted funds £'ooo Unrestricted funds £'ooo Total 2025 £'ooo Notes INCOME FROM: Donations Investment and other income Charitable acÈivNties 704 1,907 188 2,611 188 4,056 4,056 TOTAL (Total Income) 4.760 2,095 6,855 EXPENDITURE ON: Raising funds.. 1,935 1,935 Charitable activities.. Asylum advice and community development services Campaigns 5,188 29 484 471 5,672 500 TOTAL (Total expendlture) 5,217 2,890 8,107 NET INCOMEIIEXPENDITUREI 14571 {795) 11,252) Transfers between funds NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS FOR YEAR 14571 {795) (1.252) TOTAL FUNDS AT START OF YEAR 4,453 2,935 7,388 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR 3.996 2,140 6,136 Details of movements in restricted funds are given in Note 12. The notes on pages 62 to 77 form part of these financial statements. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. 58 REFUGEE ACTION STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Restricted funds £'ooo Unrestricted funds £'ooo Total 2024 £'ooo Notes INCOME FROM: Donations Investment and other income Charitable activities 796 2.494 153 3.290 153 8.298 8.298 TOTAL (Total Income) 9,094 2,647 11,741 EXPENDITURE ON: Raising funds." 1,689 1,689 Charitable activities." Asylum advice and community development services Campaigns 7,570 85 765 510 8,335 595 TOTAL (Total expenditure) 7,655 2,964 10,619 NET INCOMEIIEXPENDITURE) 1,439 {317} 1,122 Transfers between funds NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS FOR YEAR 1,439 {317) 1,122 TOTAL FUNDS AT START OF YEAR 3,014 3,252 6,266 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR 4,453 2,935 7,388 59 REFUGEE ACTION BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025 Registered company number: 01593454 2025 £'ooo 2025 £'ooo 2024 £'ooo 2024 £'ooo Note FIXED ASSETS Tangible fixed assets CURRENT ASSETS Debtors Cash al bank and in hand 571 5.976 1,552 6, 623 6.547 8,175 CREDITORS." amounts falling due within one year 10 14111 (787) NET CURRENT ASSETS 6.136 7,388 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES CREDITORS.. amounts falling more than one year NET ASSETS 12 6.135 7.388 CHARITY FUNDS Reslricled funds 12 3.996 4,453 Unrestricted funds.. General Fund Designated funds 12 12 1.703 437 1,864 1,071 6,136 7,388 The notes on pages 62 to 77 form part of these financial statements. The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees on 15th December 2025 and are signed on its behalf by Penny Lawrence Chair of the Board of Trustees 60 REFUGEE ACTION STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 2025 £'ooo 2024 £'ooo Cash flows from operating activities: Net cash provided by (used inl operating activities Cash flows from investing actlvltles {See reconciliation below): 18361 1,334 Dividends, interest and rents from investments Purchase of property, plant and equipment 188 153 Not cash provided by lusod in) invosting activities 188 153 Change In Cash and cash equlvalents In reportlng perlod 16471 1,487 Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period 6,623 5,136 Cash and cash equivalents at the end ofthe reporting period 5.976 6,623 Reconelllatlon of net movement In funds to net cash flow from operating activities 2025 £'ooo 2024 £'ooo Net movement in funds for the reporting period las per the statement of financial activities) Adjustment for.. 11,2521 1,122 Depreciation charges Dividends, interest and rents from investments 11881 {1531 Ilncreaselldecrease in debtors 981 680 Increaselldecreasel in creditors 13771 13151 Net cash provlded by (used In) operatlng actlvltles 18361 1,334 61 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES 1.1 Basis of preparation under FRS 102 SORP 2019 The Financial Statements of the Charity, have been prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 102), the Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) {Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006. The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the Charity and rounded to the nearest £1,000. 1.2 Going concern The trustees assess whether the use of the going con￿rn assumption is appropriate, i.e. whether there are any material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the Charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees make this assessment in respect of the foreseeable future, which the trustees consider to be a period of at least 12 months from the date of authorisation for issue of the financial statements, and have concluded that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and there are no material Un￿rtaIntieS about the Charity's ability to continue as a going COn￿rn, thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements. 1.3 Company status Refugee Action is a company limited by guarantee in the United Kingdom. The members of the company are the trustees named on page 3. In the event of the Charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member. The address of the registered office is given in the charity information on page 3 of these financial statements. The nature of the Charity's operations and principal activities are to provide aid to refugees and asylum seekers, to promote the development of refugee communities, to improve access to employment and enhance opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers, and to raise awareness of refugee issues, influence policy and campaign for refugee rights. 1.4 Fund accounting General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objects of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. 62 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Restricted funds are funds that are to be used in accordan￿ with specific restrictions imposed by donors or that have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The cost of administering such funds is charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. 1.5 Income All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy and that receipt of the funds is probable. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income. Donations and legacies are included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when probable. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of specific performance by the Charity, are recognised when the Charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant. The value of services provided by general volunteers has not been included in the accounts. Income from contracts and grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables, are recognised as the Charity earns the right to consideration by its performance. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid is recognised at the time of the donation. The Charity re￿iVeS government grants in respect of Refugee Resettlement projects. Income from government and other grants are recognised when the charity has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met then these amounts are deferred until entitlement is met. 1.6 Expenditure All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources. In particular office costs and support costs {which include governan costs) have been allocated on the basis of the number of staff working in offices on different functions. 1.6 Expenditure {Continued) Fundraising costs are those incurred in seeking donations and legacies. Campaigns costs are those costs incurred to secure practical changes by government that benefit asylum seekers and refugees, and to broaden and deepen public and political support for refugees. Support costs are those costs incurred in support ofexpenditure on the objects of the Charity and include the functions of Chief Executive's office, Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology teams. Governance costs included as part of support costs are 63 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 those associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the Charity and include the audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the Charity. Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activities for which expenditure arose. 1.7 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, in a straight line over their expected useful lives as follows= Furniture, fittings and equipment 5 years Computer equipment Leasehold improvements 4 years Over the period of the lease All fixed assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised. 1.8 Debtors receivable and creditors payable within one year Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction pri￿. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure 1.9 Cash at Bank and in hand Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short temi highly liquid investments with a short maturity of 100 days or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. 1.10 Liabilities and provisions Liabilities are recognised when there is a present obligation at the Balance Sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide. Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised within interest payable and similar charges. 1.11 Operating leases Rentals applicable to operating leases where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities as incurred. 64 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 1.12 Employee benefits When employees have rendered service to the Charity, short-term employee benefits to which the employees are entitled are recognised at the undisclosed amount expected to be paid in exchange for that service. Termination benefits, including redundancy costs, are recognised when the company has an obligation to pay the benefits and they can be measured reliably 1.13 Pensions Refugee Action has a group personal pension plan with Royal London (see note 14). The Royal London plan is a defined contribution scheme and contributions are recognised in the period in which they relate. The pension charge for the year comprises the amount payable by the Charity to Royal London scheme and to employees, individual pension schemes where they are not part of the Royal London schemes in the year. 1.14 Financial instruments The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value. This is detailed in Note 15. 1.15 Taxation The Charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finan Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a Charitable Company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the Charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes. 1.16 Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experien and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The Charity makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates and assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. There are no estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year. 1.17 Foreign currencies Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities are retranslated at the rate of exchange ruling at 65 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 the balance sheet date. All differences are taken to the SOFA. 2. DONATIONS Yaar ènding 31st Mareh 2025 Restricted Funds £'ooo Unre¥tricfrd Funds £'ooo Totsl 2025 rooo Donations from the public 704 Year endlng 31st March 2024 Restrlcted Unrestrlcted Total Funds Funds 2022 £'ooo £'ooo £'ooo Donations from the public 796 In both 2025 and 2024, restricted income was re￿iVed from different donors. 66 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 3. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Total 2025 £'ooo Total 2024 £'ooo Grants frorn public authorities: Liverpool City Council The National Lottery Community Fund.. Preventing Homelessness- Manchester Liverpool Asylum Seeker Deslitulion Early Action Project Asylum Crisis West Midlands Digital Design Project City of Bradford Metropolitsn District Council NHS Bradford Dislricls CCG Bradford CVS Alliance Birmingham County Council Stsffordshire City Council Herefordshire Council Solihull Council The Legal Education Foundation Comi¢ Relief Sigrid Rausing Trust Unbound Philanthropy Esmèe Fairbairn Foundation The Barrow Cadbury Trust John Ellerman Foundation Paul Hamlyn Foundation Trust for London The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust AB Charitable Trust The Ulley Foundation The Blue Thread grant The Bell Foundation Big Integration Partnership Ltd Pilkinglon Aziz foundation Greater London Authority Justi￿ Together London Legal Support Lloyds Bank Foundation Garfield Weston Foundation GMCA Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation South East Strategic Partnership For Migration Sundry donations 582 1,305 774 899 27 828 67 377 57 120 32 1.141 47 53 104 47 3,019 187 163 901 loo 117 221 166 25 19 22 59 55 25 20 22 48 196 196 83 10 50 30 50 85 11 4,056 8,298 All of the above income was restricted. 67 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 The Charity received grants from local authorities for the Syrian & Afghan Resettlement Scheme, Homes for Ukraine programme, Family & Children's service and Advice & Health project. There were no unfulfilled conditions for any of these projects. 4. NET INCOME I EXPENDITURE 2025 £'ooo 2024 £'ooo Depreciation of tangible fixed assets Auditors, remuneration - audit lexcluding VATI 21 22 5. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE Year ending 31st March 2025 Allocated Stsff Office Other dire¢t Support osts osts osts osts Totsl £'ooo £'ooo £'ooo £'ooo £'ooo Costs of generating funds Fundraising & publicity 1,232 71 296 336 1.935 Charitable expenditure Asylum advice & community development services Campaigns 2,579 396 130 2,115 58 849 5,673 499 23 22 Costs of activities in furtherance of Charity's objects 2,975 153 2,173 871 6,172 Support costs 748 41 418 11,2071 Total expenditure 4,955 265 2,887 8,107 68 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Analysis of expenditure Year ending 31st March 2024 Alloeatèd Staff Office Other direct Support costs costs costs costs Total £'ooo £'ooo £'ooo £'ooo £'ooo C￿ts of generating fund¥ Fundiaising & publicty 955 66 439 230 1,690 Charitsble expenditure Asylum advice & community development services Campaigns 3,749 394 141 3,299 78 1,147 8,336 593 27 Costs of activities in furtheran￿ of Charity's objects 4,143 168 3,377 1,241 8,929 Support costs 1,073 42 356 11,4711 Total expenditure 6.171 276 4,172 10,619 Of the total £8.1 m (2024.. £10.6m) expenditure £5.2m (2024: £7.7m) was restricted with the balance of £2.9m {2024= £2.9m) being unrestricted. During the financial year no regrants to other institutions were made (2024.. £0). Details of Staff costs and Support costs are given respectively in Notes 6 and 7. Direct Office costs and Direct Support costs have been allocated between activities based on head count of staff employed on those activities. 69 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 6. STAFF COSTS AND NUMBERS staff costs were as foll0v￿. 2025 £'ooo 3,941 417 358 23 216 4.955 2024 £'ooo 4,592 487 421 Salaries Social security costs Pension costs Redundancy payments Agency staff 36 635 6.171 There were 9 redundancies in the current year, prior year 6. Of the total redundancy expenditure of £23k (2024.. £36k), £17k {2024.' £34k) was charged to restricted funds with the balance of £6k (2024: £2k) charged to unrestricted funds. The average monthly numbers of employees during the year was as follows: 2025 No. 24 55 2024 No. 20 99 Fundraising and publicity Asylum advi￿ and community development services Campaigns Support costs 10 95 138 The total amount of employee benefits received by key management personnel, as defined within the Trustees, Report, is £553,372 (2024.. £592,249). Two employees earned be￿een £60,000 and £69,999. The Chief Executive's benefits excluding employer's pension were £69,919 (2024: £66,933). The Head of Finance's benefits excluding employer's pension were also £63,714 (2024.. £65,086). All other employees earned less than £60,000. 9 Trustees (2024 - 3) received reimbursements for travel and subsistence expenses amounting to £10,481 (2024 - £320). The Charity contributes 8 percent of basic salaries plus £600 per annum to an independently operated, voluntary, non-contributory, money purchase scheme open to those of its permanent employees who wish to participate. The Charity pays contributions for those employees who opt to participate in the scheme but has no liability to provide pensions to former employees. Until July 2017 staff had an option to opt for the contribution to be made to their own personal pension schemes instead of the Charity's scheme. At the year-end there were no outstanding overpayments or underpayments (2024: £426 overpayments), which are included in Debtors. 70 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 7. SUPPORT COSTS 2025 £'ooo 732 295 128 52 2024 £'ooo 761 279 390 41 Corporate Services Human Resources Chief Executive's office Govemance costs 1.207 1.471 Governance costs 2025 £'ooo 18 2024 £'ooo 16 Staff costs (see below) Overhead allocation Audit and accountancy fees Trustee expenses 23 23 52 41 Support costs are allocated between activities based on head count as explained in Note 5. 8. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS - Furniture, fittings and equipment Fumiture, fittings and equipment 2025 £'ooo Total 2025 £'ooo Cost Al start of the year Additions Disposals 16 16 At end of the yoar 16 16 Depreciation Al start of the year Charged for the year Eliminated on disposal 16 16 At end of the year 16 16 Net book value at start of the year Net book value at end ofthe year 71 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 9. DEBTORS - Amounts falling due within one year 2025 £'ooo 2024 £000 Grants receivable Prepayments Other debtors 217 125 229 571 1,325 71 156 1,552 10. CREDITORS - Amounts falling due within one year 2025 £'ooo 2024 £'ooo Trade creditors Taxes and social security Accruals 156 199 56 411 372 352 63 787 Deferred income reconciliation note.. 2025 £'ooo 2024 £'ooo Opening deferred income Deferred Income released during the year Closing deferred income 25 1251 11. COMMITMENTS At 31 March 2025 the Charity had future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases on its premises as follows- 2025 £'ooo 2024 Expiry date: thin 1 year thin 2 10 5 years 172 203 375 137 52 189 72 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 12. STATEMENT OF FUNDS Brought Forward £'ooo Transfers Carrled Income £'ooo Expenditure £'ooo Inlloutl £'ooo Fo￿ard £'ooo DESIGNATED FUNDS Front-line services, doner acquisition and campaigns fund TOTAL 1,071 16311 1.071 1,864 2.935 16311 631 GENERAL FUND 2,095 2.095 12,8901 12,8901 1,700 2.140 UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED FUNDS Community development projects VPRS projects Campaigns Other projects RESTRICTED 1,182 2,812 13,1061 12,0821 1291 888 3,255 16 1,919 29 3,092 16 4,453 7.388 4,760 6.855 15,2171 18,1071 3,996 6.136 TOTAL FUNDS DESIGNATED FUNDS Refugee Action is in the midst of an ongoing strategy to achieve financial sustainability by 2025-26, a process triggered by the loss of over 80 % of our income following the closure of Home Office funded programme in 2015-16. The strategy is based on investing our reserves to enable us to substantially increase our public funding base, run campaigns and deliver front-line services. Trustees have thus established the Front-line services, Donor acquisition, and campaigns fund to help finance the investments required for these activities until 2025-26. Following a thorough review Trustees have concluded the total investment required for this purpose in the next three years to be £436k. As a result, Trustees have decided to transfer £634k out of this fund to the general fund to reflect the amount to be used in the next three years. RESTRICTED FUNDS Various funders have contributed towards the Charity's front-line servI￿s, which provide practical support and advice to asylum seekers and the successful integration of resettled refugees in different parts of the UK. Refugee Action won contracts for the resettlement scheme from different local authorities in England. The project provides integration support to refugees who arrive in the UK under the government's Syrian resettlement programme. Refugee Action won contracts for the Homes for Ukraine scheme from different local authorities in England. The project provides integration support to Ukrainian refugees who 73 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 arrive in the UK under the government's Homes for Ukraine programme. The Campaigns fund financed by various funders is used to contribute towards the costs of the team that leads on Refugee Action's campaigning work. The balances on all the funds are due to be spent in the period to March 2026. STATEMENT OF FUNDS 2024 Brought Forward Transfers Carrled Income Expenditure £'ooo Inlloutl £'ooo Fo￿ard £'ooo £'ooo £'ooo DESIGNATED FUNDS Front-line servI￿s, Donor acquisition and campaigns fund TOTAL GENERAL FUND UNRESTRICTED 1,351 12801 1,071 1,351 1,901 3,252 12801 280 1,071 1,864 2,935 2,647 2.647 12,9641 12,9641 RESTRICTED FUNDS Community development projects VPRS projects Campaigns RESTRICTED 1,276 3,309 13,4031 1,182 1,722 5,700 14,1671 1851 17,6551 3,255 16 16 85 3,014 9,094 4,453 TOTAL FUNDS 6,266 11,741 110,6191 7,388 74 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 13. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS 2025 Unrestricted funds include the designated funds shown in Note 12, all of which are represented entirely by net current assets. Net current assets £'ooo Total £'ooo Restricted funds.. Community development projects VPRS projects Campaigns Total restricted funds 888 888 3.092 16 3,092 16 3,996 2,140 3,996 2,140 Total unrestricted funds Total 6.136 6,136 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS 2024 Unrestricted funds include the designated funds shown in Note 12, all of which are represented entirely by net current assets. Net current assets £'ooo Total £'ooo Restricted funds.. Community development projects VPRS projects Campaigns Total restricted funds 1,182 3,255 16 1,182 3,255 16 4,453 2,93S 4,453 2,935 Total unrestricted funds Total 7.388 7,388 75 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 14. PENSION SCHEME Refugee Action has a pension scheme with Royal London. Refugee Action paid contributions at the rate of 8 % of basic salary plus £600 p.a. during the year,. members did not make any obligatory contributions. The Royal London group personal pension plan is a defined contribution scheme. At the balance sheet date there were 98 {2024- 105) active members of the plan employed by the Charity. 15. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS At the balan￿ sheet date, the charity held the following.. Debt instruments measured at amortised costs 2025 £'ooo 217 228 2024 £'ooo 1,325 156 1.481 Grants receivable Other debtors Total Cash at bank and in hand of £5,976,000 (2024 £6,623,000) is held at face value Financial liabilities measured at amortised costs 2025 £'ooo 156 56 2024 £'ooo 372 63 Trade creditors Accruals Total 212 435 76 REFUGEE ACTION NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Moore Kingston Smith LLP were appointed as auditors during the year. Head Office Society Building, Regents Wharf 8 All Saints Street London N19RL Refugee Action is an independent, national charity with over forty years of experien￿ of developing and delivering solutions to the challenges faced by refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. Our vision is that every refugee seeking safety in the UK can thrive as part of a welcoming, anti-racist society. We provide practical support to refugees and people seeking asylum., train and support other charities working with refugees and people seeking asylum., and make the case to government for policies that improve their ability to access Justi￿ and rebuild their lives. Company no. 01593454 Registered charity no. 283660. To make a donation towards our work please go to.. www.refugee-action.org.uklgive or call 0800 1412426. Birmingham 2nd Floor, Cobalt Square 83 Hagley Road Birmingham B16 8QG Manchester 179 Royce Road Manchester M15 5TJ Bradford 6 Mornington Villas Bradford West Yorkshire BD8 7HB 77