Teya Cooper ‘Support Coordinator at Praxis and Co-Creator of A Migrant’s Guide’ introduces this really useful new publication.
When someone receives the long-awaited news that they've been granted immigration status in the UK, the moment is often marked with relief and celebration. But what comes next? At Praxis, we realised that while there’s significant support for people before they get their status, there was a glaring gap in the “what now?” phase — the time after you’ve finally crossed the finish line but are suddenly left to navigate a new, unfamiliar system alone.
Where will I live? How do I open a bank account? What happens now?
This is how the Migrants Guide was born.
A resource rooted in solidarity
We are proud to share the Migrants Guide with you – not just as a tool but because it was built by people who’ve been there, who chose to channel their experiences into something hopeful and helpful for others.
“The hostile environment reduces you to nothing, it feels as though you are surrounded by only closed doors. You find yourself stuck and yet you still have to live, so what do you do? That is why we decided to create this guide.” Olivia, co-creator of A Migrant’s Guide
Why the guide was needed
At the time we started working on creating the guide, Praxis didn’t have a well established welfare support team to help people through the necessary steps after they got their status.
We didn’t want to just hand out stacks of paper which are too often overwhelming, inaccessible, or not available in the right language. We saw the need for a practical resource that could bring all the crucial steps together in one place.
More importantly, we wanted this to be something created by people with lived experience. The development of the guide was entirely volunteer-led. We didn’t have a plan from the beginning – the idea emerged organically based on what the group wished they had when they were in that situation.
What is in the guide?
The final Migrants Guide is divided into two parts. Part one is called ‘Getting Started’ and is a guide to services and community building before securing immigration status. In addition to linking to support services, there are sections on wellbeing and mental health and free activities to keep people busy while they await their status. It also has space for making notes and interactive activities.
Part two is called ‘Moving On’ and is a guide for what to do after securing immigration status. It covers opening a bank account, creating a Universal Credit application and applying for housing, utilities and registration for Council tax. The guide also includes top tips from people with lived experience and professionals and testimonies from people who have been through the system.
Created through community and creativity
Participants came from each of Praxis’s community groups and from all walks of life, some of whom were still going through the immigration system or had only just received their status.
Over the course of one year of monthly workshops, the journal-style A5 guide emerged because the group wanted something they could write in that was physically durable and easy to carry around.
Workshops became spaces for healing, learning, and storytelling. Though often emotional and moving, they also sparked connection, creativity, and even joy. People who once felt isolated found common ground. They began supporting each other — exchanging advice about housing, benefits, and navigating the system — while also exploring their feelings through art and discussion.
The final guide is infused with this spirit of peer support and hope. The front cover features a vibrant collage, born from a creative session where people expressed their journeys visually. It's a reminder: you’re not alone, even if the system makes you feel like you are.
A guide in six languages — and counting
To ensure accessibility, the guide was translated into six key languages: Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Bengali, Spanish, and Amharic.
It’s already being used across the country — by homelessness teams in hospitals, City of Sanctuary groups, local councils, housing associations, churches, and grassroots organisations.
How to get a copy
You can order copies of the guide by contacting migrantsguide@praxis.org.uk or visiting the Praxis website. If cost is an issue, consider reaching out to your local authority to ask if they can bulk order for your organisation or community.
Lessons Learned
Creating this guide taught us many things:
- Knowledge needs to be shared: Many good resources exist, but they’re not always easy to find or understand. Community-led signposting is powerful.
- Encouragement matters: In difficult times, motivation, joy, and human connection are just as important as practical information.
- Physical resources are important: In-person conversations and tangible resources still hold so much value — especially for those without stable internet or digital access.
For those supporting migrants, our biggest piece of advice: do your research on the community you are supporting, listen deeply, and share the load. You can’t do everything, but together we can do so much more.
Praxis will be speaking about their Migrants Guide at Homeless Link’s next Innovation Forum on Supporting Non-UK Nationals on Thursday 5th June 2-4pm online.
Homeless Link's Innovation Forums are workshop-style events that are designed to build the capacity of organisations to create solutions to some of the key challenges they face.
This is workshop-style event, in which participants will share their knowledge about the challenges faced by non-UK nationals with restricted eligibility, hear from those already innovating within this space and begin to consider potential solutions that might work within their organisations or areas.
