Migrants' Advisory Panel (MAP)

Migrant Londoners are integral to our great city. London would not be the welcoming, diverse, and truly global city that it is without its people, who come from all over the world.

Estimates suggest at least 40% of Londoners are migrants. In 2021, more than 4 in 10 (40.6%) usual residents in London were non-UK born, and more than 1 in 5 (23.3%) had a non-UK passport – more than any other UK region.¹

In recent years, London has stepped up to welcome and become a home to people from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Hong Kong and many other countries. Alongside this, thousands of Londoners continue to navigate the profound impact of events, such as Brexit, the Windrush scandal, and new immigration laws like the Nationality and Borders and Illegal Migration Acts. These developments have led to new and dynamic needs across London’s communities, which need an effective response.

Who we mean by 'migrant Londoners'

We use the term 'migrant Londoners' to include anyone with past, present or future experience of the immigration and/or asylum system, including:

• people seeking asylum and with refugee status
• people in the UK on visas
• those with leave to remain
• those with indefinite leave to remain, settled or pre settled status
• people with insecure or unknown or no immigration status
• migrants who have acquired British Citizenship and those who are impacted by the Windrush scandal and/or are eligible for other schemes.

The impact of the hostile environment

The UK Government's expansion of hostile environment policies towards migrants mean that many people face barriers to, or are excluded from, accessing fundamental support and opportunities, such as housing, healthcare, or a basic income, if they are unable to prove their immigration status or are subject to restrictive visa conditions. This includes people with insecure immigration status, who lack evidence of their status, or are subject to the 'no recourse to public funds' (NRPF) visa condition.

The introduction of the Illegal Migration Act has added to insecurity and vulnerability experienced by people subject to the legislation, including victims of trafficking and people seeking asylum in the UK. These policies disproportionately impact racialised communities, and make many migrant Londoners some of the hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis.

As part of the hostile environment, policies and programmes are created for migrants and statements are made on behalf of migrants. This happens without their consultation or opportunity to respond, despite the significance of these policies in shaping their lives in the UK.

As part of the Mayor's opposition to the hostile environment and efforts to deepen community engagement practice, a programme of inclusion of migrant Londoners in the GLA’s work is being established.

This is where the Migrants' Advisory Panel comes in.

Through meaningful engagement with migrant Londoners, the panel will:

• identify opportunities to amplify the voices of this community who face structural barriers to participation
• embed community insights relating to the experiences of migrant Londoners to inform greater understanding of their needs and aspirations
• and seek to foster an equitable relationship between migrant communities and decision makers, including the Greater London Authority (GLA) and partner organisations.

The Migrants' Advisory Panel will also feed into improving engagement practice in specific ways, including through the sharing of practice via the GLA-funded London Engagement Collaborative and through the Insights Hub.

Together with migrant Londoners, we have co-designed and will continuously develop the panel's aims and structure. The current vision is to:

• develop a two-way consultation approach between the panel and the GLA on planned work, including with wider professional networks
• have a safe space to raise key issues that are important to their communities, to network, and to develop a trusted relationship with the GLA.

In its first 18 months, the panel will focus its work on four policy themes to help London navigate changes to migrant rights (including the hostile environment and the Illegal Migration Act) and work towards a vision for migrant Londoners to thrive.

These themes will be migrant Londoners' access to:

• healthcare
• advice and support for migrant Londoners
• good work
• learning.