Families Together

Families Together is a grants programme funded by a variety of donors. It seeks to address significant, institutional, regulatory and legal barriers to successful family reunion and the integration of refugees and migrants in the UK at the national, regional and local levels.

Our report, Cuts that Cost, explores the impact of removing legal aid for refugee families trying to reunite with their loved ones in the UK. 

Families belong together

The right to be reunited with your family is protected by UK and international law.

Refugee family reunion and family migration are immigration routes available to refugees and migrants to reunite with their separated loved ones in the UK.

However, there are many challenges to successful family reunification. These range from restrictive policies, regulations and procedures, and their interpretation and implementation, to the enormously high costs to be met by vulnerable families, for what is a basic right to family life.

Helping refugees and migrants in the UK

When it comes to integration, the Families Together programme focuses on the integration needs of newly reunited refugee and migrant families. It aims to expand their statutory rights and entitlements, and ensure meaningful access to statutory resources and services, based on those rights and entitlements. 

As a result, the main integration focus of the programme is on the ‘pre-arrival’ and ‘arrival’ phases of integration.

What this grants programme will support

In line with its goals of affecting strategic shifts in the policy and regulatory landscapes, in the above key focus areas, the Families Together programme will use its grant fund strategically to support a range of stakeholders to design and deliver:

• research
• service delivery
• communications and campaigns
• policy and advocacy initiatives. 

Strengthening the sector

To achieve its policy objectives, the programme will primarily work with and through partners from the refugee and migrant family reunion and integration sector. It will promote improved programme design and delivery, and effective co-ordination and co-operation, through a range of activities.