FEANTSA meeting 21st March 2018 Sally Daghlian OBE Chief Executive, Praxis Community Projects

What we do Specialist casework and advice Housing and destitution services Group work Innovating & creating change

UK context Demonization – “Hostile Environment” Blocking access to services Rising homelessness and destitution Focus on removal as solution Immigration Act – internal controls Brexit bonfire

Burden of proof is on the resident In-country immigration checks Landlord Employers Banks Homelessness organisations Health providers Burden of proof is on the resident Data sharing

Increasing size of undocumented population Loss of documents Cost of Home Office fees Long-standing residents who came under different rules Poor/no legal advice Inability to challenge the Home Office Loss of eligibility to work

Homelessness Increased use of No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) Presumption of NRPF Landlord checks Inability to challenge Complexity of immigration rules Visa delays

We work in partnership Finding pathways out of destitution Key factors: Accommodation Immigration advice Food and money

Street Legal Linking immigration advisers with homeless outreach services Praxis providing immigration advice and working with communities Influencing and training

Albert’s story In the UK for 44 years Lost passport he arrived with – no proof of status Unable to rent and work – became homeless Changes in NHS regulations – denied cancer treatment Not an unique case…