asylum seekers – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Hereford asks about impact of new immigration regulations on refugees

The Bishop of Hereford asked a question on the viability of safe and legal routes for asylum seekers to come to the UK on 20th November 2025, during a discussion on the government’s asylum policy:

The Lord Bishop of Hereford: My Lords, I declare an interest as a participant in the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Three and a half years on, we have a delightful Ukrainian family still living in our house. In the section of the report on safe and legal routes, the options in the policy document include a route to safety for students and skilled workers. Such schemes may be a useful adjunct to sufficient open safe and legal routes, but does the Minister share my concern that, in a world where safe and legal routes are limited, we may send a message that young, healthy, skilled people are more deserving of sanctuary than others?

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: Bishop of London supports amendments on freedom of religion and modern slavery

During a debate on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill on 11th November 2025, the Bishop of London spoke in opposition to two amendments aimed at potentially restricting claims of asylum for reasons of freedom of religion and modern slavery, pointing out the lack of evidence of any abuse of the baptism process by asylum seekers and the need to protect the safety of those under threat from religious discrimination:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I resist Amendment 79D. This amendment and Amendment 79E in the next group are both motivated by reports that asylum seekers are choosing to convert to Christianity upon arrival in the UK in order to support their claim for asylum on the grounds of religious persecution. Amendment 79E is of deep concern. I will address this in the next group.

Border Security, Immigration and Asylum Bill: Bishop of Chelmsford tables amendment on ‘good character’ requirement

On 11th November 2025, the Bishop of Chelmsford The Bishop of Chelmsford tabled her amendment to the Border Security, Immigration and Asylum Bill which would “ensure the good character requirement is not applied contrary to the UK’s international legal obligations across a number of instruments. It also ensures that an assessment of good character may not take into account a person’s irregular entry or arrival to the UK if they were a child, and it may only be taken into account to the extent specified in guidance published and in force at the time of an adult’s irregular entry or arrival.”

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, I declare my interests as per the register. I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord German, and the noble Baroness, Lady Lister, for their support as signatories and for their guidance, especially as this is the first amendment that I have sponsored to a piece of legislation. My thanks go also to the noble Baroness, Lady Lister, for rightly explaining in my absence in Committee that I have tabled this amendment because I am passionate about the issues it raises: namely, how best to include, not preclude, those with a legal right to be here—those friends, neighbours and colleagues whom we live, work and worship alongside.

The Government’s change to the good character guidance, enacted through secondary legislation with retrospective implementation, in effect makes the “how” of a person’s travel to the UK a determining factor in their character assessment, not the “why” of the reason behind their travel in pursuit of sanctuary. This is a fundamental cultural shift and introduces a factor that bears no correlation to someone’s moral character, their worth and value or the contribution they might make to British society.

Votes: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

On 5th November 2025, the House of Lords debated the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part.

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments on right to work

On 5th November 2025, the Bishop of Manchester spoke in a debate on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, supporting amendments on removing the restrictions on work for asylum seekers:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, as well as Amendment 45 in my name, and that of the noble Lords, Lord Alton of Liverpool and Lord Watson of Invergowrie, I also strongly support the other amendments in this group, to which the noble Lord, Lord German, has just spoken. In fact, I have added my name to two of them.

The current lengthy ban on asylum seekers working wastes talent. Lifting it would let an incredibly talented, resilient group of people—as those are the qualities they needed to even get themselves here—support themselves and their families. It would allow them to rebuild their lives with dignity and independence, at the same time as they would be filling vital UK labour shortages.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about family reunion asylum applications

The Bishop of Chelmsford asked a question on the effect of the pause in family reunion asylum applications on the level of channel crossings by migrants on 16th September 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, Home Office analysis of the factors that influence where people claim asylum highlights that the presence of family exerts a particularly strong effect on decisions on the ultimate country of destination. Given this finding, what assessment have the Government made of how the pause in family reunion applications might impact the level of channel crossings?

Bishop of Sheffield asks about engagement with charities and faith groups in procuring asylum accommodation

The Bishop of Sheffield received the following written answer on 15th September 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield asked His Majesty’s Government whether they intend to consult charities, faith groups, and frontline support services to deliver a more sustainable approach for procuring short-term accommodation for asylum seekers in line with the recommendations on the procurement of short term accommodation set out in the Office for Value for Money’s policy paper UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy.

Bishop of Sheffield asks about move-on period for asylum seekers

The Bishop of Sheffield tabled a question on risks to social cohesion and pressures on local services following a change in the move-on period for asylum seekers finding new accommodation on 4th September 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risks to social cohesion and the pressures on local councils and homelessness services presented by the recent decision to reduce the “move-on” period that newly recognised refugees are granted to find new accommodation to 28 days.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about employment waiting periods for asylum seekers

The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answer on 23rd June 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to reduce the waiting period before an asylum seeker with an outstanding asylum claim can access jobs on the Shortage Occupation List or the Immigration Salary List to six months.

Bishop of Oxford asks about accommodation for refugees and asylum seekers

The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on identifying suitable accommodation for asylum seekers and refugees on Tuesday 22nd April 2025, during a discussion on the costs of temporary accommodation provided by local authorities:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, I declare an interest as patron of Asylum Welcome, which works with asylum seekers and refugees in Oxford and Oxfordshire. What proportion of temporary accommodation provided by local authorities is used to house refugees who are assessed as priority need after having been granted refugee status? What steps are being taken to identify more suitable long-term accommodation for this cohort?

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