Newly arrived communities - Print version

We welcome you to Coventry

Coventry is a City of Peace and Reconciliation and we welcome you to our city. Being new to the city, you may want to find out about various services and support that you could access to help you settle into the city and the wider community.

These pages offer useful information to newly arrived communities including people who are seeking asylum, have been granted refugee status by the Home Office, or come into the city through other routes (such as students, overseas skilled workers or EU migrants). We also run a number of projects aimed at helping these communities, and more information can be found in this section. 

"We will always try and do what we believe is right, and we believe it is right to help others who have been forced to flee their homeland, suffering terrible hardship along the way."

Cllr Abdul Khan, Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council

Read our 2018 Migrant Needs Assessment. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/5281/migrant_needs_assessment]

Welcome to Coventry app

Our 'Welcome to Coventry' web app [https://welcometocoventry.co.uk/] is available in several languages.

It provides useful information for new arrivals to Coventry. Areas include education, healthcare, employability and much more.

Its interactive map allows you to find services near you. Follow the instructions on the app to download.

Refugee Resettlement Schemes

The Syrian Vulnerable People's Resettlement Scheme was announced by the Home Secretary on 29 January 2014. It is designed to provide assistance to Syrians who have fled to neighbouring countries as a result of the current crisis and who are particularly vulnerable.

Coventry joined the scheme in July 2014, and since then we have become one of the leading cities in the UK for the resettlement of refugees.

In October 2016 Coventry joined the Vulnerable Children's Resettlement Scheme. This scheme focuses on the resettlement of vulnerable children and their immediate families from the Middle East and North Africa. This scheme is run in the same way as the Syrian VPR scheme. 

In March 2021, the VPRS and VCRS have been replaced by the UKRS. The UK Resettlement Scheme has a geographical focus beyond the Middle East and North Africa region. As of October 2022,  over 1000 refugees have been welcomed into the city under these schemes.

We will continue to work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to target those in greatest need of assistance, including people requiring urgent medical treatment, survivors of violence and torture, and women and children at risk. UNHCR is uniquely placed to identify those living in formal refugee camps, informal settlements and host communities who would benefit most from resettlement to the UK.

Coventry City Council leads a partnership of organisations throughout the city, in order to deliver this programme. Our key partners are Coventry Citizens Advice [https://www.coventrycitizensadvice.org.uk/], Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre, [https://www.covrefugee.org/] St Francis of Assisi Church (Radford) [https://www.stfranciscoventry.org/], FWT - a centre for women [http://www.fwt.org.uk/] and Positive Youth Foundation [https://positiveyouthfoundation.org/].

How do the schemes work?

The UK Home Office [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office] is responsible for setting the criteria under which people are resettled into the UK and oversees the schemes. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) [https://www.unrefugees.org.uk/] submits potential cases for the Home Office to consider. Once a case has passed this initial stage, the International Organisation for Migration (IoM) [https://www.iom.int/] will conduct a full medical examination. Case files including this information are then sent to participating local authorities for consideration on the grounds of medical needs, availability of accommodation, and the potential impact on local services.

How many people will come to Coventry?

The City Council has committed to resettling 125 people per year. The schemes were due to end in 2020, however, this is no longer the case. We are still currently accepting clients due to the delays the pandemic has caused, however, going forward the scheme will change.

On 17 June 2019, the Home Secretary announced that the current format of the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) would be changing and from 2020 it would be consolidating the Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme, the Vulnerable Children's Resettlement Scheme and the Gateway Protection Programme under the umbrella of the UKRS. 

The purpose of this is to resettle up to 5,000 of the world's most vulnerable refugees in the UK within the first year of the scheme; refugees who would have previously been resettled through the flagship Vulnerable Person's Resettlement Scheme. 

How are the schemes funded?

Funding for resettlement schemes is provided by the Home Office.

What is the impact on housing and services in Coventry?

Home Office funding is used to secure private rented accommodation for the first year. We have not used the City Council's existing housing stock, meaning that social housing waiting lists have not been affected.

Coventry Schools will receive a grant for each child attending under the resettlement schemes. This is to aid their education and integration into the UK's school system, whilst reducing the impact on school budgets.

EU Settlement Scheme

The EU Settlement Scheme is the UK’s immigration scheme for EU and EEA citizens, their family members and members, to secure their right to live, access services and work in the UK beyond 30th June 2021. If eligible nationals do not submit an application to the EU Settlement Scheme, this may result in a No Recourse to Public Fund (NRPF) condition being imposed- meaning that individuals may lose the right to live, work and access services in the UK.

Coventry City Council has produced detailed guidance about the EU Settlement Scheme [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/homepage/1509/eu-settlement-scheme-guidance] for EEA nationals, employers and landlords as well as the Local Authority. This has BrowseAloud functionality [/translate], which translates into various languages.

The application deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021, which has now passed. Beyond this date, for now, eligible nationals will be able to submit late applications to the EU Settlement Scheme providing there is a ‘reasonable excuse’.

Coventry City Council has secured funding from the Home Office to work with Coventry Central England Law Centre to continue to support eligible nationals until 31 March 2023.

We provide free, independent and confidential advice and support in Coventry. This includes:

• Support and advice with late applications, including evidencing ‘reasonable excuses’
• Legal advice and representation
• Looking into outstanding applications, in some cases liaising with the Home Office on your behalf
• Support with switching from Pre-Settled Status to Settled Status
• Barrier-breaking interventions including interpretation, digital support and signposting

Access free, independent and confidential advice and support

1. Email: CoventryEUSS@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:CoventryEUSS@coventry.gov.uk]

Read our EUSS project privacy notice [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/51/welcome_to_coventry/3765/euss_project_privacy_notice].

MyCoventry

In January 2021, Coventry City Council launched a two-year partnership called MyCoventry. The project addresses local, social and economic inequalities that hinder the way young people and adults from migrant communities interact and become part of the local area.

The specialist partnership intends to bridge service gaps, provide mentoring, coaching and holistic interventions to support client progression and integration. It is aimed at non-EU and EEA nationals living in Coventry.

The city-wide partnership between Coventry City Council, the Job Shop [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/153/employment_support/2514/job_shop_services_for_people_looking_for_work], St Francis Church of Assisi [https://www.stfranciscoventry.org/work-club], ACH [https://ach.org.uk/], Coventry University [https://www.coventry.ac.uk/] and Positive Youth Foundation [https://positiveyouthfoundation.org/] is part-funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).

The scheme will help improve language skills and enable new communities to learn and feel a part of the life of the city; as well as boost employment opportunities.

A key component of MyCoventry is the ‘Integrass’ Assessment Toolkit which will produce a Personalised Integration Plan for each client, based on an individual’s specific needs and barriers. Clients will complete the short assessment with a member of staff, and again at a later date to monitor progress.

This will inform personalised pathways across the project, facilitating language learning, employment support, civic orientation and meaningful contact with the host society for clients.

Each partner will have designated mentors who will meet regularly with clients to discuss their progress and signpost them to services across the city.

For more information or to get involved please email mycoventry@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:mycoventry@coventry.gov.uk].

Read our privacy policy [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/191/public_health/3756/mycoventry_privacy_notice].

This project is part funded by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. Making management of migration flows more efficient across the European Union.

Refugee Transitions Outcomes Fund (RTOF) Project

The Refugee Transitions Outcomes Fund (RTOF) is a £13.99m initiative that seeks to improve employment, housing, and wider integration outcomes for newly recognised refugees.

The RTOF will enable service providers to provide holistic and intensive support to refugees to help them tackle the barriers and challenges they face to self-sufficiency. The Home Office – with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) as co-sponsors – has awarded the funding to deliver the RTOF programme.

RTOF has a strong focus on helping people into work and all refugees who are on the programme will receive employment support in addition to housing or wider integration support.

Employment support may focus on helping refugees into full-time employment, part-time employment or self-employment, or a combination (for example, part-time work and starting a business). Further support will focus on helping refugees to access stable and secure housing, and to improve in the areas that are critical to their self-sufficiency and integration (such as English language, digital skills, well-being and building social bonds).

Coventry City Council is one of the Local Authorities in the West Midlands the Home Office selected to deliver the RTOF Project. In the West Midlands consortium, we work together with Birmingham City Council, City of Wolverhampton Council and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

Coventry City Council work in partnership with Ashley Housing, Spring Housing and St Francis Employability to deliver the service and reach the outcomes by offering tailored support across employment, housing, and integration for newly recognised refugees in Coventry. Both Ashley Housing and Spring Housing focus on all three areas of support. St Francis Employability will provide the opportunity for the participants to get meaningful experience in working in the UK and support the clients with the completion of at least 10 days volunteering.

Besides Coventry City Council overseeing and co-ordinating the performance management, monitoring, data capture and outcomes evidence across the delivery partnership, it will also be delivering outcomes for the fund and host the lead Integration Officer and administrative support for the programme to enable the project’s outcomes to be met. This will include ensuring that eligible clients are referred to the programme. Coventry City Council will also coordinate provision across the delivery partnership to ensure the progress of participants.

The key aims of the RTOF programme are to:

• Enable innovative and place-based approaches to supporting newly recognised refugees in the selected local areas
• Improve employment, housing, and wider integration outcomes for newly recognised refugees in the selected local areas and to increase refugee self-sufficiency
• Generate evidence about what works, to be able to evaluate the impact of funded projects on refugee integration and self-sufficiency
• Generate cross-Government savings
• Provide evidence to inform future policy, programming, and mainstream service delivery

If you would like any further information about the RTOF project or would like to get involved, email: Agnes.Gaspar@coventry.gov.uk  [mailto:Agnes.Gaspar@coventry.gov.uk ]or CoventryRTOF@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:CoventryRTOF@coventry.gov.uk].  

See our RTOF privacy notice [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/RTOFprivacynotice].

British Nationals Overseas (BNOs)

Hong Kong British Nationals Overseas (BNOs) status holders can apply for a new immigration route, enabling them and their dependents to come to the UK to live, work and study on a pathway to citizenship. The West Midlands Welcome Hub (WMWH) has been set up to support new arrivals from Hong Kong on the British Nationals Overseas (BNOs) visa to access information to help their integration into the UK.

You can access a range of supporting information from the WMWH [http://welcomehub.wmsmp.org.uk/].

Coventry City Council's Migration Team offers an array of support to BNOs who are due to arrive in Coventry or have recently arrived. Our support includes advice and guidance on:

• housing and services;
• accessing education;
• healthcare;
• employment;
• starting a business;
• English language support;
• accessing public funds you're eligible for;

The team also has a dedicated BNO Coordinator who provides dedicated support helping to connect new arrivals with local community/faith groups and other organisations across the city, along with providing advice and guidance on how to access services such as banking, employment, ESOL and much more. 

For more information and support for BNOs arriving in the United Kingdom, check out the government's website [https://www.gov.uk/british-national-overseas-bno-visa]. 

If you would like to contact the Migration Team and learn more about the support they give, email migrationteam@coventry.gov.uk  [mailto:migrationteam@coventry.gov.uk ]

Your Vision, Your Future

‘Your Vision, Your Future’ is an education, training and employment support programme that will support young migrants and refugees in Coventry aged 16-29 who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).

Your Vision, Your Future is part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and supported under the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI). It is comprised of eight delivery partners who have come together to form a strong and robust partnership.

Each of the partners specialises in providing high quality education, training and employment support and they will be tailoring the support provided to meet the individual needs of each young person. The partners are:

• The Migration Team, The Council’s Job Shop and the Adult Education Service.
• PET-Xi Ltd
• WATCH Ltd (Working Actively to Change Hillfields Ltd)
• Coventry University through FabLab Coventry and their Outreach Team.
• New Start 4 U CIC
• IMAGINEER

The Migration Team intends to bridge service gaps, provide mentoring, coaching and holistic interventions to support young refugees and migrants to move into suitable education and employment opportunities.

The purpose will be to make barrier-breaking interventions that will allow young migrants and refugees to move into education and employment opportunities that are appropriate for them.

Each participant will have a designated mentor who will meet regularly with clients to discuss their progress and signpost them to services across the city.

For more information or to get involved please email YourVisionYourFuture@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:YourVisionYourFuture@coventry.gov.uk]

Support for Refugees and Newly Arrived Communities

Coventry has a wide range of organisations which provide support for Refugees and Newly Arrived Communities. Below is a list of organisations and services which you may find useful. Coventry City Council also has a Customer Service Centre on Broadgate Square, where advice and help can be sought on a wide range of issues including Housing Benefits, Housing, Council Tax and Social Care. More information can be found on the Customer Service Centre page. [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/customerservicecentre]

Support for Asylum Seekers

An asylum seeker is someone who comes to the UK, often fleeing persecution, torture or war, and applies for refugee status. Until refugee status is granted, such a person remains an asylum seeker and may be entitled to accommodation and support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. 

This support is funded by the Home Office, and in Coventry is administered at a local level by G4S. The City Council's Migration Team works with various Council Departments and West Midlands Police to ensure accommodation sourced by G4S is appropriate, and health care is provided via the Meridian Centre at the City of Coventry Health Centre.

Below are details of a wide range of organisations which provide help and support for asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants.

Support for Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers' Children (UASC)

A number of unaccompanied young people under the age of 18 years have sought asylum in Coventry. They originate from many countries including Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Uganda, Somalia, Cameroon, Angola, Kosovo, and China. As a Local Authority, we have a duty under The Children Act 1989, to offer support and guidance to this group of vulnerable young people.

How we can help

Our Through Care service deals with all referrals of UASC's to Social Care.

After an assessment, we arrange for the required assistance and support to be provided. We also assist with accessing other support agencies using the services of a translator if required.

We endeavour to assist any young person we are supporting who wishes to trace their families overseas; we do this in partnership with the Red Cross.

We also assist young people we are supporting in seeking emotional support caused by severe trauma and will put them in touch with the relevant help required.

Before young people are 18 years we contact the appropriate agencies to try and ensure a smooth transfer. Once young people have reached the age of 18 years support is available from the Local Authority via The Through Care team up until the age of 25 years.

Useful information

Through Care [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/throughcare]

Migrant Help [https://www.migranthelpuk.org/pages/category/asylum]
Asylum Helpline Advice Service
Free asylum helpline: 0808 8010 503

Asylum Support Application UK
Asylum Helpline Support Application Services
Tel: 0808 8000 631

The Refugee Council [https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/]
Children Panel
Advice Line: 020 7346 1134

Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officers (LAASLOs)

Objective

As part of migration team, Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officers (LAASLOs) aim to facilitate the smooth transition for those granted refugee status from government-supported accommodation into mainstream services during their 28-day 'move on' period.  

LAASLOs also support to connect asylum seekers to available services whilst they live in the city and preparing them in advance for both a positive and negative decision from the asylum process and also offers advice and signposting for those asylum seekers receiving a negative decision on their asylum claim. 

Job purpose   

We will work with the Home Office to manage a caseload of asylum seekers supported under s.95 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1999 and have had their asylum claim determined to provide a holistic support service by:   

• Providing advice, information and guidance to those granted asylum or other leave to remain in the UK on how to access mainstream service.     

For those asylum seekers awaiting a decision we will:   

• Advice clients on options they have depending on the outcome of their asylum claim.  
• Flag the support available if a positive decision is made on their asylum claim.  

The main duties of LAASLO's are: 

To support the successful integration of adults and families granted asylum by minimising rates of homelessness, rough sleeping, poor health, economic hardship and social isolation and improving proficiency in the English language.  

In order to enhance their integration, we will assess clients and provide advice and support during the 'move on' period on appropriate services covering:  

• Housing   
• Benefits   
• Health   
• Employment   
• English language   

We also aim:

• To work collaboratively with local statutory and Voluntary and Community Sector organisations by promoting their services and managing client referrals as appropriate.   
• To record all referrals made and work with statutory and voluntary and community sector organisations to track progress and monitor outcomes.  
• To take into account the benefit to the established resident community of activities and interventions taken.  
• To tailor the national approach to supporting successful new refugees by designing and agreeing on innovative interventions appropriate to the local area. 

Make a referral to LAASLOs [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/LAASLO]

Partners 

We will be working with internal and external partners such as Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre, St Francis of Assisi Church, Coventry Law Centre, Foleshill Women's Training and others. 

For more information contact buildingbridgesproject@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:buildingbridgesproject@coventry.gov.uk] 

MiFriendly Cities

Creating 'Migration Friendly' Cities in the West Midlands

The Coventry City Council Migration Team has proudly worked with partners from across the West Midlands to deliver this innovative project, which aimed to reduce the impact of migration on the region and to create more opportunities for newcomers. 

This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative [http://www.uia-initiative.eu/en].

About the project

MiFriendly Cities is a 3-year initiative to support refugees and migrants in the West Midlands. It aims to develop innovative, community-led and sustainable approaches to enhancing the contribution of refugees and migrants in the region. 

The project is made up of a partnership of 11 organisations. These include three city councils, a multi-national company, a university, a law centre, a consultancy and three migrant-run charities.  

Migrants and refugees have helped to develop this project and to decide what makes a city ‘Migration Friendly’. This has created a project which we hope will encourage a spirit of solidarity, with the West Midlands becoming a place in which everyone feels a true sense of belonging.

“I’m delighted to see the launch of the MiFriendly Cities project in Coventry, a city with a proud history of recognising and celebrating cultural diversity. I am excited that this funding will enhance opportunities to strengthen the economic and social fabric of the entire region.’’ 

Cllr Abdul Khan [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/councillors/34/abdul_khan], Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities

The Project Partnership

11 organisations from across the public, private and voluntary sector worked together to deliver the MiFriendly Cities project.

• Coventry City Council [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/]
• Birmingham City Council [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/]
• City of Wolverhampton Council [http://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/]
• Central England Law Centre [http://covlaw.org.uk/]
• Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre [http://covrefugee.org/]
• Coventry University [http://www.coventry.ac.uk/]
• CU Social Enterprise [http://www.coventry.ac.uk/cuse/]
• Interserve
• Migrant Voice [http://www.migrantvoice.org/]
• Migration Work [http://www.migrationwork.org/]
• The Refugee and Migrant Centre – Birmingham and the Black Country [http://www.rmcentre.org.uk/]

Project resources

The Mi-friendly Cities project has now officially closed, with all programmes and activities now completed.

To ensure that our knowledge and findings over the last three years are not wasted, we have compiled all of our findings, resources, surveys and guides into one, easily accessible resources page [https://mifriendlycities.co.uk/resources/]. The information here is designed to be shared with others who wish to help Migrants and Refugees create positive and meaningful contributions in their communities.

For more information visit www.mifriendlycities.co.uk [https://mifriendlycities.co.uk/] or contact: mark.russell@migrationwork.org [mailto:mark.russell@migrationwork.org].