Migrants Rights Project
Our Migrants Rights Project supports EU nationals to know their rights to public funds and housing, promotes numeracy skills for Romanian Roma people and access to proof of immigration status for people from vulnerable migrants groups. The project also assists registered social landlords, third-sector organisations, and local authorities in knowing their responsibilities regarding the rights of EU migrants.
Our Migrants Rights Project continues to provide its longstanding and vital services to EU nationals, offering information, advice, and advocacy on welfare rights, housing, and homelessness. In addition, we are delivering community-based adult numeracy sessions for Romanian Roma people in Govanhill.
Impact and Reach in 2023-24
We supported 398 service users, benefiting 645 adults and 643 children. This support has helped lay a strong foundation for their lives in Scotland. Our work spanned 15 countries of origin, with the top three being Romania (96% of our service users), Latvia, and Estonia. The project has focused on the Romanian Roma community in Govanhill, which has the highest concentration of Romanian Roma in the entire country. This community remains one of Scotland’s most financially and socially excluded groups.
As a result of our efforts, £761K was raised in benefits, including Universal Credit, Scottish Social Security, tax credits, and other entitlements, all of which have been reinvested into the Scottish economy.
New Service!
We are pleased to announce a new, free service aimed at supporting vulnerable non-EU migrants (including refugees, family reunion cases, and those with limited leave to remain) as they transition from proving their right to access public funds and services with Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs)—all of which will expire by 31 December 2024—to online E-Visas. Our E-Visa service helps individuals apply for their E-Visa, understand how to prove their immigration status using share codes and update their details within their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. To support this, we are running outreach surgeries and are happy to arrange home visits for those who require assistance.
Outreach Services
We run outreach services by appointment in Govanhill, supported by Romanian-speaking staff. If you or someone you know would like to arrange an appointment, please get in touch with us directly. Click here for our outreach details and to contact us to arrange an appointment.