Page 7 - NewsandViews Summer 2024
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seekers with one-to-one support, English classes and legal access. It cost half as much as immigration
detention and was much better for the women's health and wellbeing.
End exorbitant fees for migrants who have ‘leave to remain’.
Currently, these refugees are charged around £13,000 over a ten-year period and it leaves many in low-
skilled jobs unable to afford food and bills. This sum is more than seven times what the Home Office
administration costs. In 2023, these fees were increased by 66 per cent.
Reduce the time to five years before applying for permanent residence.
The visa renewal fees should only cover admin costs. Those paying UK taxes should not have to pay the
NHS surcharge, which is planned to increase to £2,587 each time a visa is renewed.
https://qarn.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/QARN-What-
do-Quakers-hope-for-after-the-2024-General-Election_Aug- Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network. Eds.
2023.pdf
* One of the members of our Area Sanctuary group, a retired
journalist, writes a blog with asylum seeker and refugee news.
www.welcomingthestrangeruk.org
Susannah is a member of Wimborne Meeting.
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Imagination Barbara Crawford
Prose isn’t helping, so let’s try
If poets, artists, musicians can descry
Gleams of hope in our storm-darkened sky.
Imagination can help us hear
Voices of cosmos and of grasshopper.
People of many faiths, just may
Tune in to the same divinity,
Which preaches love and peace
And harmony.
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