Refugee and Asylum Advice Service is run to offer advice and help with the asylum process and life in the United Kingdom, but they are not involved in making decisions on your application and are independent of the UK Border Agency.

Refugee and Asylum Advice Service normally offer advice to asylum applicants who have newly arrived in the United Kingdom, those who have just received the decision on their application, and successful applicants who are starting to build their new life in this country.

They are there to help you with:

• housing problems;
• contacting agencies such as social services’
• finding and joining English-language classes;
• questions about asylum support;
• advice about legal representation;
• finding schools for your children to go to;
• building a life in the United Kingdom if you are given permission to stay; and
• information about returning home and the voluntary scheme that can help you do that.

As well as providing advice about the asylum process and adapting to life in the United Kingdom, we may be able to help if you haveother problems.

The Multi-Lingual help guides for the One Stop Service are available.

The one stop Service operates out of the Newcastle upon Tyne and the Tees Valley (Middlesbrough) offices, it is planned to operate out of the Sunderland Office soon and can be contacted:

Telephone Newcastle Office: 0191 245 7301

Telephone Tees Valley Office: 01642 217 447