Newcastle City of Sanctuary

Newcastle is honoured to be a recognised City of Sanctuary; part of a network of towns and cities throughout the country that are proud to be places of safety.

We want Newcastle to be a place of safety, a welcoming city where people seeking sanctuary have access to support and services, where community links are fostered and where people are able to rebuild their lives from the day they arrive.  

Who is an asylum seeker?

You are an Asylum Seeker if you have to leave your country to seek protection in another country, such as the UK.

An asylum seeker wants to have permission to stay in the UK.  Asylum seekers can’t work in the UK.

If you are seeking protection to stay in the UK you need to apply for asylum. Read more on our Immigration and asylum page.

While you wait for a decision about your claim for asylum, you may be able to get Asylum support to help with housing and benefits. If you have children, they will be able to attend free state school and you may be able to get free health treatment on the NHS.

Who is a refugee?

A refugee has permission from the government to stay in the UK.

When you apply for asylum and are successful, you are a refugee. Refugees have formal documents and permission to stay in the UK. The permission lasts for 5 years and after that you return to your country or apply again. Refugees usually have permission to work.  

Ukraine

Since March 2022 people from Ukraine have been able to apply to come to the UK under two schemes, Homes for Ukraine and the Ukraine Family Visa. People from Ukraine are able to work, access education and claim benefits whist they are in the UK. There is a team in the Council who can support people from Ukraine. You can contact them via ukrainesupport@newcastle.gov.uk

Photo: Pupils from Hotspur Primary School show their support for Ukraine as part of their work towards becoming a School of Sanctuary.

Advice and Support

In Newcastle, there are a range of services to support people who are seeking asylum and refugees. You can find out more about this in our related services or by visiting Support for Asylum Seekers and Refugees on Information Now.

There is a dedicated team in the council who can support people during the asylum process. You can contact them via email: asylum@newcastle.gov.uk

English classes

There are English classes for adults and activities that support young people and children to learn English. They are on offer at Newcastle University through N.E.S.T. North East Solidarity and Teaching (N.E.S.T). They also have trips and activities that they run especially for children and young people at different times of the year. See related service for more information or contact nest.union@newcastle.ac.uk.  

You can find out more about English classes in the city here ESOL : English lessons for people who speak English as a second or other language - Information Now

Schools and education

If your family is new to Newcastle, you will need to apply for a school place. There are services that can support you with this if you need. You can find out more about this here: Apply for a school place | Newcastle City Council

If you need help with uniform or other school equipment you can ask at your school, and they should be able to tell you where you can go for support.

A number of schools are part of a scheme called Schools of Sanctuary. This means they are committed to supporting people who are seeking asylum and refugees to feel safe and welcome in school. You can find out more about this here: Schools of Sanctuary - Newcastle City of Sanctuary

There are additional educational activities and summer schools that support young people at Success for All

Libraries

Newcastle City Library are a Library of Sanctuary and are committed to welcoming those seeking sanctuary and to help rebuild lives. They have safe spaces, free access to services including PC and Internet usage, community language resources, family activities and staff to support interactions with local housing providers and council services. You can find out more here: Newcastle Libraries & Community Hubs | Newcastle City Council

Museums

There are a number of museums in Newcastle that are working to becoming Museums of Sanctuary. These are free to access and welcoming to people seeking sanctuary. You can find out more about what is on offer at the venues here: Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (twmuseums.org.uk)