SAS Partners &
COVID-19 

How SAS Partner Agencies operated
during the Pandemic

The pandemic had raised real practical issues for those people who are seeking asylum or refuge and who were already destitute. Through the SAS partner agencies (please scroll down for individual links to their reports) clients are normally guaranteed a place of welcome and safety. Many expect to have personal face-to-face meetings to discuss their cases. If they need humanitarian aid it is provided, including food, clothes and emergency accommodation. Charity addresses are used by clients as their postal addresses to send and receive mail.

Their well-being is also addressed to give them hope and dignity and brief respite from their many worries.

The COVID restrictions had exacerbated their situation. Social distancing meant casework had to be progressed by phone or by video conference. Daily hot meals could not be provided and food had to be delivered to emergency accommodation or hostels or wherever they were staying. Food storage was a problem so a combination of food and cash grants was being given. Lockdown of charity venues meant post was delayed and disrupted. Social gatherings and activities like ESOL classes, days out, working on allotments could not take place. In fact all the normal human acts of physical social interaction that help to build friendships and relationships were not possible.

SAS currently provides financial support of about £3,000 per month. Fresh funding is urgently needed. 

If you wish to donate to SAS please click here for information.

To access reports to SAS from partner agencies about how they tried to address problems during the Pandemic, please click below:
- Asylum Link Merseyside (ALM)
- Faiths4Change
- Refugee Women Connect (RWC)