Birmingham has been a City of Sanctuary since 2015, joining a UK movement that promotes welcome and inclusion for refugees and asylum seekers. Birmingham City Council actively supports this status and recently marked 10 years as a City of Sanctuary in December 2025.
As a City of Sanctuary, Birmingham...
You can find more information on the City of Sanctuary Hub, including information about Asylum, Refugee and Resettlement support.
In the sections below is information on refugees, asylum seekers and resettlement. Please click the headings below to expand the sections.
A refugee is a person who has been forced to flee their country because they face danger there, such as…
A person becomes legally recognised as a refugee only after the government decides their claim is valid.
You can find more information on available support for refugees and migrants on the City Council's website and through the Migrant Advice Portal.
An asylum seeker is a person who…
All refugees start as asylum seekers, but not all asylum seekers are granted refugee status.
You can find more information on available support for refugees and migrants on the City Council's website and through the Migrant Advice Portal.
Resettlement is a process where…
Resettlement differs from asylum. Asylum seekers apply after arrival, while resettled refugees are selected and accepted before coming. It targets the most vulnerable, like families, torture survivors, those with medical needs, and people in refugee camps or unsafe conditions.
There is information, advice and support about resettlement on the City of Sanctuary website.
There are also several specific webpages providing information about resettlement from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria. These are:
