Lambeth Council was awarded the Borough of Sanctuary status on 5 December 2022.
We are proud to be recognised by the City of Sanctuary UK as a borough that goes above and beyond to ensure sanctuary seekers are welcomed and supported.
We earned this award by working closely with voluntary and community sector (VCS) partners in the borough and statutory services as part of the Lambeth Sanctuary Forum.
Being recognised as a Borough of Sanctuary means a local authority has shown it is committed to making its area welcoming and inclusive for everyone – including people who have moved here seeking safety.
This recognition does not give the council any powers over immigration or who comes to live in the area. Decisions about immigration, asylum, and dispersal are made by central government, not local councils. What a Council of Sanctuary does is focus on how people are treated after they arrive – making sure that everyone who lives here is treated fairly, can access support when needed, and has the chance to contribute to our communities.
This recognition simply highlights that a council is working positively with local schools, services, charities, and communities to create a more inclusive environment for all residents. This managed response to supporting new arrivals benefits everyone by easing pressure on services and strengthening community cohesion.
The award is granted by the charity City of Sanctuary UK. For more information, see the full FAQ: https://la.cityofsanctuary.org/faqs
Lambeth Sanctuary Forum
The Lambeth Sanctuary Forum is chaired by a cabinet member covering sanctuary matters and co-chaired by a representative from one of our VCS partners. It has a board made up of people with lived-experience and statutory services. Membership to the forum is open to VCS organisations that support sanctuary seekers in Lambeth.
Lambeth Sanctuary Services formally entered into a partnership with residents with lived-experience, voluntary sector partners, representatives from healthcare and education and our sanctuary champion to convene the first meeting of the Lambeth Sanctuary Forum.
The forum is responsible for creating the Borough of Sanctuary Strategy, a 3-year strategy driving improvement and ensuring our sanctuary seeking residents have the opportunity to thrive in Lambeth. It sets out our vision to 'improve equity of access to support for all sanctuary seekers and raise the voice of people with lived-experience.'
The forum also oversees the implementation of key priorities that have been identified in the Borough of Sanctuary Strategy, ensuring that Lambeth is a more inclusive borough to all sanctuary seekers.
