The fight to Lift the Ban continues, and we have been busy. Over the past few months, our coalition has grown stronger, our voices have become louder, and our determination remains unshaken. From Parliament to the high streets of Sheffield, from community gatherings to powerful performances, we are making sure the government hears our message: give people seeking asylum the right to work, now. 

Why We Fight 

Azam, a campaigner from City of Sanctuary Sheffield, knows firsthand the harm this ban on working causes. “I have felt the hunger here. I have never experienced that in my country. We are there, at the hotel, sitting all day without any activities, thinking about our past, our families, our children. We can’t afford to pay for the bus ticket to go to the GP or get some support in the city centre. We have to walk for two hours as our hotel is far from the city centre, even if we are sick or some of us have some disabilities.” Azam says. “This system breaks your dignity.” 

Azam has now received their refugee status and therefore has the right to work, but continues to volunteer with City of Sanctuary Sheffield’s advocacy and system change team.  

“I’m now a refugee but I will continue fighting to win this campaign. This is not only for me. This is for the people who will come. I don’t want for them to suffer what I have suffered.” 

The ban forces people to live on less than £9 a week while their asylum claims—often taking years—are processed. It pushes skilled professionals into poverty, prevents them from contributing to society, and keeps them trapped in isolation. The fight to Lift the Ban is not just about work; it’s about human dignity, inclusion, and justice. 

If this wasn’t enough, it is estimated that the UK economy could gain £280m per year if the ban was lifted. It’s common sense.  

Taking Our Fight to Parliament 

On February 26th, 18 campaigners from the Sheffield Lift the Ban Coalition, mostly people currently in the asylum system or who had their refugee status, travelled to London to join campaigners from across the UK at Parliament as part of a National Day of Action to Lift the Ban. We came together with one powerful demand: the right to work for people seeking asylum. 

While our scheduled meeting with MP Olivia Blake was unfortunately cancelled due to illness, we are grateful to Baroness Bennett for stepping in to ensure our voices were heard. It was an incredible and powerful experience for all of us being with campaigners from across the UK, in solidarity and fighting together.  We stood outside in the rain, determined. We shared our stories, met with allies, and left knowing that our fight is far from over.  

Building Power in Sheffield 

While national advocacy is essential, we know that real change begins in our communities. Since forming in 2023, the Sheffield Lift the Ban Coalition has been working tirelessly across Sheffield. Together with local businesses, trade unions, community groups, politicians, charities, activists and individuals with lived experience, we are pushing for change. Here’s what we’ve been up to: 

Community Awareness: Public support for granting people seeking asylum the right to work is substantial. A 2022 YouGov poll found that a staggering 81% of the UK public support the right to work for people seeking asylum. However, much of the public remains unaware of the existing ban and its devastating impacts. To bridge this gap, we’ve organised and participated in numerous events across Sheffield to raise awareness and build support:  

• Community Study Day at Sheffield University – exploring work rights for people in the asylum system.
• “Have Your Passport Ready” with SBC Theatre – a powerful performance highlighting the realities of the asylum process and the importance of the right to work.
• International Women’s Day 2025– amplifying the voices of women affected by the work ban.
• Thinking with Our Communities: Detention and Beyond – showing how the ban on work is a ban on dignity and freedom.
• Visiting religious and community groups to raise awareness and build support. 

As we saw last August, the violence that faced our community demonstrated how dangerous false narratives about people seeking asylum can be. We remain committed to sharing the true realities of the asylum system and countering harmful misconceptions. 

Mirabel, a campaigner who is currently seeking asylum, explains the critical need for increased awareness. “It is very painful to listen people who think we don’t want to work and that we are living in luxury hotel. Many people don’t know we are not allowed to work. We thanks this country for giving us shelter. We also need to live with dignity. We want to work, we want to contribute to the society, we want to be part of the community.” 

Women’s Performance Group: A group of talented women who have firsthand experience of seeking asylum are using theatre to tell their personal stories and show the devastating and complex realities they face. These women are campaigning with City of Sanctuary Sheffield and using their voices and creativity to raise awareness about the harmful impact the ban on work has on their lives at events across Sheffield. Their performances are an urgent call for empathy and understanding in the face of policies that too often ignore humanity.

Political Action: We worked with Sheffield City Council to reaffirm its status as a City of Sanctuary and join the national Lift the Ban campaign. Since then, we have been working with them to plan their next steps and how they can best use their power to create change. We have also continued engaging with MPs and local representatives such as Olivia Blake MP. However, recently we have seen growing political resistance to practically supporting the campaign. We will keep fighting for this common-sense policy – working to get MPs to publicly endorse lifting the ban and demanding that both Parliament and the Council take decisive, practical actions to grant people seeking asylum the right to work. 

The High Street Challenge: We’re engaging businesses to gain support for the right to work. Business owners like Jim Rose from Nam Song restaurant have been powerful allies. Now, we are working to bring more businesses on board by visiting them in person and showing them that the right to work benefits everyone. The Government looks to business voices to advise and guide its decisions and with their support we can show decision-makers that people seeking asylum are an asset to the workforce and the economy.

What’s Next? 

We will not stop until the government listens. We need you. 

We need more people to join us, to raise awareness, to challenge politicians, and to stand up for what is right. Sheffield has a long tradition of standing in solidarity with people seeking sanctuary. Now is the time to act. 

Together, we can Lift the Ban. 

In Solidarity,

Melinda Mo Martinez

Advocacy and Systems Change Coordinator, City of Sanctuary Sheffield