A year in review at Seraphus: Our work and impact in 2025

UK immigration law changed significantly in 2025. Through our casework and partnerships, Seraphus saw the real impact of these changes on employers, workers, families and people seeking asylum.

From helping employers understand higher salary thresholds to employ workers, to supporting asylum seekers with family reunion, and advising people ahead of major changes to settlement rules, this year showed how essential access to clear, high-quality legal advice is. Below, we reflect on how Seraphus worked to meet that need in 2025.

Our partnership with the Scottish Government’s Scotland’s Migration Service (SMS) completed its first full year in 2025. We end the year pleased to confirm that the service has been extended for another year.

Against a backdrop of care worker visa changes, salary increases and rising costs for employers, demand for trusted immigration advice was high. As part of our ethos to share knowledge, we wrote accessible online content and delivered monthly employer-focused webinars, reaching hundreds of organisations on topics including hiring international graduates and navigating Skilled Worker visa changes. 

Through the free SMS advice service, we gave tailored immigration advice to 100 organisations across sectors including healthcare, IT, engineering, green energy, creative industries and hospitality.

We also saw strong engagement from third sector organisations across Scotland at our Community Benefits workshops. This demonstrated a strong demand from organisations working with vulnerable migrants for opportunities to hear directly from immigration experts. Seraphus brought together frontline organisations and academics to discuss key issues, including migrants’ rights; the rights of people with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS); recruiting and employing migrants; and supporting people with No Recourse to Public Funds.

You can read a report on these workshops here: https://www.seraphus.co.uk/knowledge-centre-article/scotlands-migration-service-community-benefits-activities-impact-report/

Our work with the EU Delegation to the UK continued throughout 2025, supporting EU citizens, their families, and the organisations that help them.

Seraphus delivered monthly EUSS advice surgeries across the UK, including Belfast, Aberdeen, Ipswich, Leicester, London and Manchester. We worked in partnership with several local organisations to support vulnerable individuals to navigate the complex and challenging process of securing status under the EUSS. 

Each month, we supported around 100 advisers through group sessions, held both online and in person. In our new role convening the Civil Society EUSS Alliance, we have expanded this to better support areas with less access to specialist advice, particularly Scotland and Northern Ireland.

As policy continues to evolve, demand for our EUSS caseworker sessions remained high in 2025. Many of the advisers we support work across multiple areas, including welfare and housing rights, employability, homelessness, and immigration. Seraphus plays a vital role as both convenor and expert, supporting the EUSS advice sector and, ultimately, EU citizens and their families.

In addition to learning, capacity-building and networking, our networks engaged directly with the Home Office, the Independent Monitoring Authority, the European Commission and the EU Delegation to the UK. This ensured that the real experiences of EU citizens and advisers helped inform policy discussions. Seraphus also contributed to the APPG on Citizens’ Rights and led the EUSS Alliance in providing feedback to the Home Office on its automation plans and communications. Alongside this, we lobbied for continued funding for the EUSS advice sector from 2026. 

We also provided input to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, helping to shape future inspection priorities.

Throughout 2025, our legal aid team supported clients referred by partner organisations, despite increasing pressure on the sector.

Working closely with a local Palestinian community initiative, we progressed asylum and family reunion cases at a time of growing uncertainty. Following the pause of the Refugee Family Reunion scheme from 4 September, and with further restrictions expected in 2026, this work remains central to our commitment to a humane immigration system.

The wider crisis in legal aid continues to limit access to justice across the sector. Nonetheless, Seraphus remains committed to providing the legal support that people are entitled to receive. 

2025 showed the real human impact of immigration policy and the vital role of the advice sector.

Seraphus remains committed to protecting rights and improving access to justice as the system continues to change.