• WE’RE delighted the Home Office has seen sense and made a small administrative change that will make a significant difference to Syrian refugees welcomed by Islington and other boroughs. Syrian refugees will now enjoy full refugee status.

Before this shift, refugees arriving under the government’s Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme were granted five-year humanitarian protection visas, not formal refugee status as most people will have expected.

Refugee status allows people to travel and gives access to student finance and some social security support. Whereas humanitarian protection grantees are not entitled to these things.

Last year, I and other councillors urged the Home Office to reconsider the disparity between the two definitions. That the Home Office has finally agreed to do this for families arriving from July 1 is good news.

Those already here will have to apply. We don’t yet know what the process will be but we’ll be urging the Home Office to ensure it is straightforward, designed with experts’ input and with advice available to those who need it.

Finally, I’m extremely grateful to those residents who have opened their doors to Syrian families in need. We should all be proud of their generosity of spirit. I certainly am.

CLLR KAYA COMER-SCHWARTZ
Islington Council’s Labour executive member for community development