Protect Funding for Southall Black Sisters!

Vital Lifeline for Migrant Victim-Survivors at Risk: Protect Funding for Southall Black Sisters!

Southall Black Sisters, together with partners nia, the Asian Women’s Resource Centre, and Ashiana Network, deliver a lifesaving service supporting some of London’s most vulnerable women – migrant women with No Recourse to Public Funds who face domestic abuse, exploitation, homelessness and destitution.

This expert organisation has led on delivering the London Holistic Advocacy Wrap Around Service since 2019, supported by funding from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and the Ministry of Justice.

In that time they have:

•Provided safe accommodation and subsistence to over 700 destitute migrant victim-survivors.

•Supported thousands more through specialist casework, counselling, immigration advice, and training for professionals.

But now this vital service is under threat.

Following the notification of a funding cut late last year, the service faced losing its funding by the end of September 2025, creating a six-month funding cliff edge before any new funding could begin in April 2026. This left Southall Black Sisters, and their partners, all small and under-resourced charities supporting some of London’s most marginalised women, at risk of losing specialist staff and being unable to provide crucial support to victim-survivors.  

Despite prolonged discussions with MOPAC and efforts to secure transitional support through engagement with the Mayor’s office, Ministry of Justice, MPs, and Assembly Members, their vital funding was not renewed.

Recognising the devastating impact this cut would have, Southall Black Sisters and partners have since worked tirelessly to successfully raise emergency funds to bridge this dangerous six-month gap - but without any support whatsoever from London’s Mayor.

And the future remains precarious.

The new funding pot they will need to apply to for support from April 2026 is restrictive in that it does not allow organisations to be part of two or more partnerships. This disadvantages and threatens the future survival of essential services like this which works with other specialist organisations in a collective, partnership model.

We urgently call on the Mayor of London and MOPAC to: 

1.Acknowledge their duty to safeguard migrant women with No Recourse to Public Funds by preventing future funding cliff edges.

2.Publish full equalities impact assessments related to the decision to cut funding for Southall Black Sisters.

3.Engage in meaningful dialogue with ‘by and for’ organisations to ensure new funding strands support partnership working and reflect the needs of marginalised communities, with openness to reconsider funding criteria if required.