Ministerial-level summit on Named Community Sponsorship

On Wednesday 25 March, a landmark Ministerial‑level summit on Named Community Sponsorship brought together government representatives—including the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris MP—alongside civil society, funders, academics, and frontline practitioners to shape the future of a new refugee welcome pathway for the UK.

Experts signalled support for shaping an effective, safe, and scalable named sponsorship route

The event marked the first time such a broad coalition has aligned around introducing a formal mechanism that would allow communities to name the individuals they wish to sponsor for protection. Although widely used in other countries, naming has never before been available in the UK.

I've been working in this space for ten years, making the case that communities should be able to choose who they welcome alongside the existing stranger-matching model. Both matter. But naming has never been available in the UK - until now. In that time, I have never seen the alignment that was in the room on Wednesday. - Susannah Baker MBE, Chair of the Community Sponsorship Alliance and Trustee and Director at The Pickwell Foundation.

At Wednesday’s summit, hosted by Citizens U.K. in partnership with the Community Sponsorship Alliance and Pathways International that position found unprecedented consensus. Representatives from the Home Office, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, philanthropic foundations, government agencies, NGOs, local leaders, and academic experts all signalled support for shaping an effective, safe, and scalable named sponsorship route.

While concerns remain about broader immigration policies (read more on the CSA's position on earned settlement here), the shared sense of purpose around this specific pathway was salient. Many attendees expressed that if change is going to happen, this is the moment.

Sector infrastructure already in place

Speaking as a panellist, Susannah Baker MBE emphasised that the UK is not starting from scratch. The Community Sponsorship Alliance already brings together fourteen well‑established organisations delivering community‑led refugee welcome across the country. The infrastructure needed to make named sponsorship work at scale is therefore already in place—not in the form of organisations waiting to be created, but those with proven track records, strong relationships, and years of experience in what it takes to welcome newcomers well.

A second summit is planned for November with an expectation of meaningful progress before then.

Concrete Commitments and Next Steps

Several early commitments emerged during the summit, including:

• A review of the proposed ten-year route to settlement, with indications it could be shortened to five years and decoupled from the 30‑month review point.

• A second Ministerial summit planned for November, with the expectation that measurable progress will be delivered before that meeting.

  
  

The message from the sector was clear: momentum must now translate into policy.

How Communities Can Get Involved

With Named Sponsorship emerging as the primary viable new refugee pathway the Government is prepared to support, supporters are being encouraged to take three key actions:

Write to your MP

Ask where they stand on Named Sponsorship, when they expect it to launch, and direct them to available support from the Community Sponsorship Alliance, Pathways International, and Citizens UK. This week these partners were represented at a Labour MPs Roundtable on exactly these questions - the conversation is live.

Register your interest

Sign up via trusted organisations—such as The Pickwell Foundation—to be among the first to hear when the scheme opens. Links are available through sponsoring partners’ websites and communications.

Stay Updated

Spread the word

For the first time, community groups, congregations, clubs, and networks could directly identify someone they know who needs protection and offer them a route to safety. Awareness is crucial at this early stage.

A Turning Point for Community-Led Welcome

Named Community Sponsorship stands at a critical juncture. The political will, sector expertise, and community readiness have aligned in a way not seen before. Whether the UK realises the full potential of this pathway—and how quickly—now depends on sustained public engagement and collective effort.