More than 100 Charities Urge Home Secretary to Stop Migrant Blame Game and Focus on UK’s Core Challenges

Published: 29 September ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk

Over a hundred UK charities have come together to urge Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to end what they describe as the “scapegoating of migrants” and to focus on addressing the country’s most pressing systemic challenges. In a strongly worded letter coordinated by Refugee Action, 105 organisations—including Save the Children, Mind, Oxfam, Shelter, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and numerous migrant and anti-racism charities—called on the home secretary to tackle structural problems such as housing shortages, the NHS crisis, and the climate emergency, rather than targeting vulnerable groups for political gain.

The letter, sent in advance of Mahmood’s speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Monday, reflects a growing concern among civil society groups that migrants are being unfairly blamed for issues that have deep-rooted causes in economic and social policy failures. It also includes support from the PCS union, which represents Border Force workers, highlighting that the call for systemic reform resonates even within parts of the enforcement sector tasked with managing immigration.

In their letter, the charities highlighted that addressing inequality, underfunded local authorities, deteriorating public services, and environmental crises must take precedence over performative policies that seek to deflect attention from long-standing societal problems. “The government wants to deliver growth and renew Britain. This requires tackling issues such as growing extreme inequality, underfunded councils, lack of investment in quality housing, a crumbling NHS, the climate emergency and polluted waters,” the letter stated. It emphasised that targeting refugees and asylum seekers does nothing to remedy these structural problems, instead creating a “dangerous smokescreen” that scapegoats society’s most vulnerable individuals.

The signatories also urged the home secretary to work collaboratively with local authorities, charities, and refugees themselves to develop sustainable and effective solutions. “Those who face the reality of hostile policies and rhetoric are best placed to contribute to practical solutions,” the letter argued, highlighting the importance of inclusive dialogue in formulating immigration and social policies. The charities warned that continued hostility towards migrants risks exacerbating social divisions and community tensions, undermining social cohesion in the long term.

The backdrop to the letter includes a summer of unrest related to migration issues, during which demonstrations outside hotels hosting asylum seekers occasionally escalated into violence. A far-right-organised rally in London earlier this month, reportedly drawing between 110,000 and 150,000 participants, also underscored the volatile nature of public sentiment surrounding immigration. The letter cautioned that anger and division, while politically expedient for some, ultimately erode the social fabric of the nation. “As the new home secretary, you now have an opportunity to turn the tide and to end the scapegoating of migrants and performative policies that only cause harm,” the charities wrote, stressing the urgency of corrective action.

Tim Naor Hilton, chief executive of Refugee Action, reinforced the central argument of the letter by highlighting the deeper socioeconomic issues behind the public’s anxieties. He pointed out that austerity measures and widening wealth inequality are major contributors to the increasing reliance on food banks, housing insecurity, and long waits for medical care. “The breadth of support for this letter shows that blaming people seeking asylum for problems not created by them has huge consequences across all parts of society,” Hilton said. He urged the government to focus on the underlying causes of hardship rather than diverting attention onto migrant communities.

Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, echoed these sentiments, drawing attention to the scale and symbolic weight of the recent far-right rally in London. She warned that such displays of hostility are reminiscent of darker periods in UK history and should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers. Hamid also stressed the economic and social benefits that migrants bring to the country, noting their contributions to key public institutions such as the NHS, as well as to businesses and local communities. She said that fostering decency, inclusion, and a fact-based public debate on immigration should begin with a shift in rhetoric at the highest levels of government.

The letter further addressed the potential political motivations behind the blame placed on migrants, warning that such strategies can exacerbate tensions and create lasting harm to community relations. Charities argued that policies should be evidence-based and targeted toward solving genuine structural problems, rather than offering short-term political optics that punish marginalized populations. They highlighted the need for long-term investment in public services, infrastructure, and climate resilience, suggesting that addressing these issues would improve the lives of all residents, including migrant communities, without resorting to scapegoating.

The Home Office responded to the letter, stating that the home secretary remains committed to balancing secure borders with tolerance and generosity. A spokesperson said, “The home secretary has said that secure borders are an essential part of being a tolerant, open, generous country and she will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.” The statement reflected the official position that national security and border management remain priorities while acknowledging the broader social context in which immigration policy operates.

Experts in migration policy and social cohesion have long argued that focusing on systemic issues such as housing, healthcare, and climate change is critical for sustainable social stability. By diverting attention onto migrants, governments risk neglecting these foundational issues and alienating key segments of the population. The coordinated letter by over 100 charities represents a rare unified call for evidence-based policy, drawing attention to the dangers of performative measures and political scapegoating.

In summary, the letter sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood represents a comprehensive appeal from a coalition of civil society groups for a rethink of the UK’s approach to migration. The charities argue that migrants should not be blamed for the country’s systemic problems and that meaningful action should be taken to address underlying issues such as inequality, underfunded local authorities, a stretched NHS, housing crises, and environmental degradation. The signatories urged a collaborative approach, involving government, local authorities, charities, and affected communities, to develop practical, long-term solutions that enhance social cohesion and uphold human dignity.

As the debate over migration continues, the coordinated voice of these charities highlights a critical tension in UK politics: the need to balance border security with humanitarian obligations, while addressing structural inequalities that affect millions of citizens. Their appeal underscores the potential consequences of inflammatory rhetoric and performative policies, warning that failure to act responsibly could deepen divisions and undermine trust in institutions. The letter serves as both a critique and a call to action, urging policymakers to confront the real problems facing the UK rather than using migrants as convenient scapegoats.