Action Matters

Tell Gordon the facts about asylum cuts.

Our campaign to stop cuts to asylum support has been gathering pace. A big thank you to all those who have written to the Immigration Minister Phil Woolas, asking him not to target the poorest. We have had a really good response from MPs including Shadow Immigration Minister, Damien Green who has asked to meet us to discuss asylum support.

Eight of the most influential children’s and parenting organisations have signed up to our campaign, and written to Phil Woolas asking him not to cut support to lone parents. Those signing up include Save the Children, NSPCC and Mumsnet. Read more on our blog and in the Independent.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown was asked how cuts to asylum support would affect single parents and their children, during a live Q&A on the online parenting forum Mumsnet. He responded by saying that ‘the amount of money’ single parents receive had not been cut. However, their support has been frozen, meaning they are worse off in real terms.

Next step: we’re writing to Gordon Brown to give him the real facts about the cuts, please write to Gordon and ask him not to penalise single parents.

Take action now!

Celebs sign up

A whole host of celebrities, including Colin Firth, Juliet Stevenson, Ralph Fiennes and Ken Loach wrote an open letter to the Observer, criticising the government for cutting asylum support to lone parents and single adults.
Read their letter and accompanying article in the Guardian here.

Diary of an asylum seeker

This month Guardian journalist Rowenna Davis spent a week with a single parent asylum seeker and her daughter to see how they are surviving on asylum support. Read her moving diary on our blog.

Refugee Action presents: Sing it like you mean it

Forget X-Factor this autumn, it's Charioke that’s taking the country by storm. Refugee Action and Lucky Voice are launching the first ever karaoke marathon fundraiser which will see singers belt out hit songs for ten hours, in London on 2nd November, and Brighton on 9th November.
Keep up to date with charioke antics on our blog

Other News:

• To stay up to date with news and campaign alerts you can now follow Refugee Action on Twitter