Inability to reunite with loved ones makes it hard to integrate, Refugee Council and Oxfam say

Refugees living in the UK are struggling to integrate into British life because they are unable to be reunited with close family facing danger overseas, a study by the Refugee Council and Oxfam has found.

Their research report, Safe but not Settled, published on Wednesday, reveals that many refugees are plagued by worry that “unfair” restrictions on them bringing loved ones to Britain leaves them unable to focus on finding work, making friends or learning English.

The report details cases in which refugees have desperate, even suicidal thoughts, and some end up in poverty as they struggle to pay for the legal costs of applying to bring family members to Britain, often from war zones.

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The report comes before a debate in parliament in March when MPs will consider changes to the law to enable more refugees to be reunited with close relatives.

It cites the case of Aster, who was forced to flee Eritrea because of her religion. After a long and perilous journey, including time in prison where she was abused, she arrived in Britain in 2016, but she is unable to be reunited with her children.

Aster’s daughter faces conscription into Eritrea’s military while her two sons have escaped to Ethiopia, where they are both seriously ill without anyone to care for them. Her sons are no longer eligible to join her as they are over 18.

She said: “When I think of my children I am always sad and I cannot enjoy life or take any part in anything … I’m doing my best, but I can’t fully concentrate on anything I do. All the time I am stressed thinking about the day when I will be reunited with my children.”



Maurice Wren, the Refugee Council chief executive, said refugee families living in Britain were just like most other British families for whom the safety of loved ones was of the utmost importance.

“The evidence is clear: reuniting refugee families gives them the best chance of living settled and fulfilling lives. Denying them the chance to restore their family ties condemns them to a future of anguish and guilt, with the anxiety of separation undermining their mental health.

“We urge the government to do better by refugees and amend the unfair, restrictive UK rules that prevent refugee families from being reunited just when they need each other the most.”

Sally Copley, Oxfam’s head of policy, programmes and campaigns, said: “Most people would be shocked to discover that families are being torn apart simply because a brother or sister is over 18 and therefore not eligible to join their parents and siblings in the UK.

“Refugees want to be able to play an active role in their communities and be able to learn English, but all too often they face pointless hurdles because of a system that keeps them separated from their families.”