Named Sponsorship - What we know so far….
In November 2025, the UK Government announced its intention to introduce a new Named Sponsorship framework. Under this model, community groups, employers and universities will be able to identify, or "name," specific individuals with a protection need whom they wish to support to come to the UK, subject to Government eligibility, security and other requirements. Sponsors will then be expected to provide appropriate accommodation, financial and integration support, and a warm welcome as newcomers begin their lives in the UK. Planning continues, with launch expected this Autumn.
The Pickwell Foundation welcomes this development. For more than a decade we have supported refugee resettlement programmes, worked alongside communities welcoming newcomers, and advocated for more sustainable, community-led pathways to protection in the UK. We have also helped shape this policy as members of the Community Sponsorship Alliance - our Trustee and Director, Susannah Baker MBE, has chaired the Alliance for several years, with Pickwell acting as Secretariat.
In November 2025, the UK Government announced its intention to introduce a new Named Sponsorship framework. Under this model, community groups, employers and universities will be able to identify, or "name," specific individuals with a protection need whom they wish to support to come to the UK, subject to Government eligibility, security and other requirements. Sponsors will then be expected to provide appropriate accommodation, financial and integration support, and a warm welcome as newcomers begin their lives in the UK. Planning continues, with launch expected this Autumn.
The Pickwell Foundation welcomes this development. For more than a decade we have supported refugee resettlement programmes, worked alongside communities welcoming newcomers, and advocated for more sustainable, community-led pathways to protection in the UK. We have also helped shape this policy as members of the Community Sponsorship Alliance - our Trustee and Director, Susannah Baker MBE, has chaired the Alliance for several years, with Pickwell acting as Secretariat.
“…we must now build an asylum system for the world as it is—one that restores order and control, that opens safe and legal routes to those fleeing danger across the world, and that sustains our commitment to providing refuge for this generation, and those to come.” - Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary, 17th November 2025
Named community sponsorship hands control to local communities over the resettlement of refugees in their area. It is a proven mechanism that operates at a large scale in other countries strengthening communities and supporting refugees’ integration. Research from the University of Birmingham found that Community Sponsorship contributes to more outward-looking, open and inclusive communities, and more positive attitudes towards refugees.
Communities have the power to create a more welcoming society
Since 2016, over 350 communities across the UK have welcomed more than 600 refugees through the Community Sponsorship scheme, as well as many thousands more under the Homes for Ukraine scheme that was established following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Named sponsorship builds on proven models. In Canada, over 368,000 refugees have successfully integrated through private sponsorship since 1979, and the United States received 3 million applications to sponsor vulnerable migrants between 2022-24.
“I think the community definitely feels richer because of the families being here - they add something with their different cultures.” - Community Sponsor
Named Sponsorship: What we know so far
Who can sponsor?
Community groups, universities and employers will be able to identify and support refugees to come to the UK and build new lives in local communities. The roles, responsibilities and eligibility criteria for sponsors are still being mapped out by Government, no firm details on financial requirements, accommodation expectations or application criteria have been confirmed. Sponsors will be required to apply through a Government-accredited Lead Sponsor Organisation (LSO).
What is a Lead Sponsor Organisation?
LSOs are anticipated to be registered charities or Community Interest Companies (CICs) that provide wrap-around support, training and oversight for sponsoring groups. Final details are still being worked through by Government.
Who can be sponsored?
Individuals will need formal refugee status recognised through international protection processes, with assessments expected to be carried out by UNHCR. We do not yet know which nationalities, countries or regions will be included in the scheme. Individuals already navigating the asylum process in the UK will not be eligible through this pathway.
How will refugees access the scheme?
Community groups, universities and employers will identify individuals they wish to support. LSOs will then support groups to submit applications to the Home Office for consideration. Refugees will not be able to apply to the scheme themselves.
This community-led approach builds on a decade of sponsorship experience within the sector, and on the strength of local relationships - enabling communities to play a direct role in supporting people seeking safety.
When will the scheme open?
Applications to become an accredited LSO are anticipated to open in Autumn 2026. Government may amend timescales, but we anticipate the first refugees could arrive through the scheme from Autumn 2027.
How many people could benefit?
Government has yet to formally announce figures. Our experience over the past ten years shows that when communities are empowered to welcome refugees, they build lasting relationships, strengthen local connections and help people rebuild their lives with dignity. The scale of Named Sponsorship's impact will depend as much on the willingness of communities across the UK as on the policy itself.
The Pickwell Foundation will continue to engage with national partners and policymakers as the programme develops and will support communities interested in participating as opportunities become available.
Stay Informed
We're building a list of UK based organisations and individuals who are interested in Named Sponsorship. By completing this form, you're agreeing to receive updates on the scheme, including how to get involved, as this work progresses.
We're also trying to understand the types of connections, communities and locations likely to generate demand for named sponsorship.
Building the Future of Named Community Sponsorship: Lessons from Canada and a Call to Action for the UK
Our operations Manager Steph Molligoda joined the Community Sponsorship Alliance sit down with Nadine Nasir of the Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) Association of Canada alongside Hannah Gregory of Pathways International.
Canada has been running what we now call named sponsorship for decades. Their model of private sponsorship is mature, resilient and—crucially—proven. With 143 Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) organisations, Canada has welcomed tens of thousands of people through sponsorship pathways. And it has done so under governments of every political persuasion, continuing to function even when the wider system has come under pressure.
The morning after the Named Community Sponsorship Summit, Our operations Manager Steph Moligoda joined the Community Sponsorship Alliance sit down with Nadine Nasir of the Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) Association of Canada alongside Hannah Gregory of Pathways International.
"One of the most energising and clarifying conversations I’ve had in years" - Susannah Baker MBE
Canada has been running what we now call named sponsorship for decades. Their model of private sponsorship is mature, resilient and—crucially—proven. With 143 Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) organisations, Canada has welcomed tens of thousands of people through sponsorship pathways. And it has done so under governments of every political persuasion, continuing to function even when the wider system has come under pressure.
The Community Sponsorship Alliance sit down with Nadine Nasir of the Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) Association of Canada
What Canada Teaches Us
The Power of the Intermediary Layer
Canada’s ecosystem functions because of an intermediary layer between government and community. The SAH Association does not deliver sponsorship directly. Instead, it represents the organisations that do—collecting information from the ground, spotting trends, and conveying that intelligence to government officials every two weeks. This creates a virtuous cycles, operational reality shapes policy not the other way around.
This is precisely what we are trying to build in the UK through the Community Sponsorship Alliance: a trusted bridge between policymakers and practitioners.
Named Sponsorship Complements—Not Replaces—Other Routes
In Canada, named sponsorship sits alongside stranger‑matching rather than replacing it. And yet, over 90% of all sponsorship cases are named. In most instances, a person already in Canada knows someone abroad who lacks a durable solution and wants to act. The personal connection is the starting point. But it is the infrastructure—the organisations, the frameworks, the accountability—that makes action possible.
A Diverse Ecosystem Bound by Shared Standards
The organisations leading this work vary enormously:
diaspora volunteers
small community groups
large, well‑staffed national organisations
What holds them together is a clear framework, shared expectations, and a government that recognises the sector as an essential delivery partner.
Canada Has Had 50 Years. We Have a Running Start.
Canada has spent half a century developing this system. But the UK is not beginning from zero. The Community Sponsorship Alliance—fourteen organisations strong—brings together years of learning, delivery, and on‑the‑ground experience.
Still, if we want to build this properly, we need:
sustained and strategic investment
a genuine intermediary function
and a government willing to share the architecture with the people who deliver on it
Near the end of our discussion, one of the CSA members asked Nadine a question - “If naming comes into the UK system, does the UK need an organisation like yours for it to grow?”
Nadine’s answer was unequivocal: yes. We knew this. Now we need our government to know it too. We were grateful to Nadine Nasir for her openness and generosity—and to Hannah Gregory for co‑facilitating such an insightful conversation.
The Pickwell Foundation alongwith the CSA and their members are building a list of organisations and individuals who want to stay informed as Named Community Sponsorshipdevelops in the UK. By completing this form, you're agreeing to receive updates on the scheme, including how to get involved, as this work progresses.