Financial support
for People in North East England
WERS provides financial support to clients thanks to donations from individual supporters, who give an average of £32 a month.
To be eligible for financial support, all of the following criteria must be met:
- The client is registered with WERS.
- The client is a person seeking asylum or refugee living in the North East of England.
- The client demonstrates financial hardship or immediate need.
- The client is eligible to apply once every 4 weeks.
Clients or organisations wishing to signpost are encouraged to direct clients directly to WERS during our opening hours.
WERS prioritises support for:
- People facing acute financial hardship, particularly families with children, individuals with caring responsibilities or persons with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
- Requests that will have a meaningful impact on the applicant's immediate wellbeing or long-term progress.
Despite the generosity of our donors, the fund is oversubscribed and we are only able to support a small number of beneficiaries.
Emergency Support Fund (Meeting Basic Needs)
Quick, direct help for essentials — bus tickets, food, clothing, baby formula or emergency travel. This support is meant to cover urgent needs and prevent crisis situations.
Support is available for up to £50 per household based in North East England.
FAQs
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To be eligible for financial support, all of the following criteria must be met:
The client is registered with WERS.
The client is a person seeking asylum or refugee living in the North East of England.
The client demonstrates financial hardship or immediate need.
The client is eligible to apply once every 4 weeks.
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Refugees and people seeking asylum living in the North East of Engalnd can apply for both emergency and development support.
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Applications are made in person facilitated by WERS’ staff.
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Emergency support requests are reviewed quickly (usually on the day) by the Leadership Team. Development grants are reviewed and approved by the Committee.
WERS prioritises support for:
People facing acute financial hardship, particularly families with children, individuals with caring responsibilities or persons with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
Requests that will have a meaningful impact on the applicant's immediate wellbeing or long-term progress.
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You can donate, partner with us or join a fundraising campaign.
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Higher education tuition fees or maintenance during study
Private school fees for primary or secondary education
Repayments of credit card debts
Pet care
Water bill arrears
Flooring or carpets
Non-essential items (such as TV licences or TVs)
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If you have already received support from us, you will not be eligible to receive another grant for a minimum period of four weeks.
Applications for Pathways to Empowerment Development Fund (Inspired by Mike Snow) are assessed every six weeks and you can expect a response within eight weeks of submitting your application.
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If your application is successful, WERS will provide the grant directly to individuals through vouchers or the Cash Perks system.
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If your application is unsuccessful, you will be notifited of the outcome.
Due to the volume of applications, WERS is unable to enter into correspondence regarding rejected applications. All decisions are final.
Stories
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Please note that all names used are not real to protect the privacy of our clients.
Omid approached WERS asking for support with his asylum claim. He had a video showing scenes of torture, which formed a crucial part of the evidence supporting his case. But the video was in his native language - and without translation, he couldn’t submit it to the Home Office.
With no financial means to pay for this service, he was stuck - aware of how important the material was, but unsure how to proceed.
The Emergency Support Fund provided £50 to cover the translation costs.
With this support, Omid was able to submit the full evidence to the Home Office. His case is still under consideration, but he is now in a much stronger position to secure protection and move forward with his life.
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Please note that all names used are not real to protect the privacy of our clients.
Fatima approached WERS in desperation after being moved by the Home Office to a new area far away from her established social network. Her teenage daughter, who had experienced a severe mental health breakdown, was struggling without familiar support systems.
A medical assessment was urgently needed to prove to the Home Office that their relocation had severely impacted her daughter’s wellbeing and that moving back to their previous community was essential for her recovery. Fatima, unable to afford the cost of the assessment, reached out to WERS.
Through the Emergency Support Fund, WERS was able to cover the cost of the medical assessment. This allowed Fatima to submit evidence to the Home Office, advocating for her daughter’s needs. While their case remains ongoing, the financial support provided immediate relief and renewed hope for Fatima and her daughter.
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Please note that all names used are not real to protect the privacy of our clients.
Ali received a letter from the Home Office inviting him to an important interview in Liverpool. But the letter was lost in the post and by the time he discovered the interview date, it was less than 24 hours away. With no money for transport and a looming deadline, Ali approached WERS in desperation.
The Emergency Support Fund provided immediate help, covering the cost of a last-minute train ticket to Liverpool. Ali was able to attend his interview on time, ensuring his case continued to move forward. Without that urgent support, the opportunity would have been lost.