The Sojourner Project
The Home Office pilot for women with no recourse to public funds
This is a new national project for women with no recourse to public funds run by
Eaves Housing for Women. Working in partnership with a range of other voluntary providers the scheme will co-ordinate support, accommodation and subsistence for women and their dependants throughout the country. The project will enable agencies to provide a range of services for women experiencing domestic violence who entered the UK on a spousal or partner visa and are eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the DV rule.
More information about the scheme and how to applyHow Can I Support Her?
Domestic Violence, immigration and women with no recourse to public funds
The Women's Resource Centre and
Southall Black Sisters have produced a resource pack to help women's organisations supporting women with no recourse to public funds. It covers how to make applications under the Domestic Violence Rule, information on other immigration and asylum procedures, and details of financial support that women may be eligible for.
Contact us for a hard copy of the report. If you would like to order multiple copies please send a donation of £10 per pack to Southall Black Sisters, 21 Avenue Road, Southall, Middlesex UB1 3BL; cheques payable to “Abolish no Recourse”.
Funding
Southall Black Sisters No Recourse Fund
In recognition of the plight of hundreds of women and children in this situation,
Southall Black Sisters have (with funds provided by
London Councils and
Oxfam) set up a small 'last resort fund' called the
SBS No Recourse Fund.
The fund will be used to help accommodate and provide subsistence costs for a limited period
for women who have experienced domestic violence and have insecure immigration status with no recourse to public funds. The funds will also be used to help women who are victims of trafficking and prostitution.
The funds will be allocated in the following way:
- Funds from London Councils will be used to cover emergency housing costs and living expenses for women and children in London
- Funds from Oxfam will cover emergency housing and living expenses for women and children outside London.
Please note that the SBS No Recourse Fund
is a
last resort fund. The funds will only be open to non-governmental organisations. The overall funds available are severely limited and will only be provided where organisation give a commitment to assist women to pursue other avenues
of financial assistance, including legal proceedings against local authorities. The No Recourse Funds will not be released if organisations fail, during the period of funding from SBS, to
assist women to obtain alternative funding.
The No Recourse Fund will cover the costs of
emergency accommodation and other
basic living expenses to enable women and children to access places of safety such as a refuge pending more long-term arrangements for housing and living expenses. SBS can assist you through this process.
The fund will pay accommodation and subsistence costs of up to £30 per week for an adult and £10 per week for a child. Single women will be assisted for a maximum of 6 weeks. Women with children will be assisted for one week.
Application Packs
Please contact SBS for an application pack, which sets out the criteria and conditions of eligibility in more detail. You can also download the application pack from the SBS website:
http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/norecoursefunds.htmlPlease also feel free to contact SBS if you need advice and assistance in pursuing other sources of funding for women.
Please contact: Southall Black Sisters, SBS NO RECOURSE FUND, 21 Avenue Road, Southall,
Middlesex, UB1 3BL.