Imagine the fear of going home because women who have bipolar like you have been stoned to death there. Imagine that you must now survive in the UK without any cash, limited access to care services support and your partner has no right to work. Could you live like this year after year, with no future end in sight?

For Francis and Faith, this is their reality.

Their struggle has fallen through the gaps in UK welfare provision. They do not get support as refugees because they are deemed 'illegal migrants'. They only get limited support because they have a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ status. They came from a once British colony in Africa on a visa for Francis to study in London.

Faith developed bipolar after witnessing London 7/7 terrorist bombings. She was very near to where the bus was blown up. Faith was severely traumatised and subsequently hospitalised for 8 months. Since then, she sometimes screams and tries to run out of her flat at night. She can’t use public transport as it’s too distressing. Faith needs help with everyday things like washing and dressing.

Her husband, Francis provides all of her care and support. Francis does not like to leave Faith for too long because he worries something might happen. Supporting Faith when she is having a distressed episode and being her full-time carer is an exhausting role. Even so, Francis spends any spare time volunteering for refugees every week. He would like to work on campaigning against global poverty one day but his life has been on hold.

Making things even tougher, Francis and Faith have no access to cash. They live off a pre-payment card (around £70 a week) that can only be used in specific shops. No cash means Francis must cycle everywhere in all weather, even though he is an older man with his own health problems.

Faith spends most of her days alone at home and is heavily sedated by four medications daily. Faith receives no therapeutic support. Does this treatment speak of the racism that black mental health activists are campaigning against? Francis gets no Carer’s Allowance and has not had a carers' break in years. This inadequate support is defined by where they were born, not what they need. 

Faith and Francis are also not allowed to work as a result of their immigration status.

It's a catch-22 situation: Faith and Francis are not allowed to go home but are also not allowed a reasonable life here.

Unlike refugees, there are no charities for people like Francis and Faith. Their application for a visa renewal was rejected and they only get a basic living support because a judge said they were destitute.

Every month when Francis signs-in at the police station he fears being immediately detained and deported – he's worriedly asked me: ‘Who would look after Francis?’

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:  We need to raise just £175

Fountain Solicitors will apply for Francis and Faith to be given discretionary permission to stay in the UK for 30 months. It's not good enough we agree, but the only achievable option for them right now. This would give them the right to work and access the support they need.

The legal fees are £600 and we just need to raise the remaining £150 after a generous donation was received to cover the rest.  Remaining funds raised will cover Crowdjustice fees and any other amounts raised to their future legal costs.  

Thank you so much for any support you can provide to allow Francis and Faith access to the legal services key to them rebuilding their lives.


*Francis and Faith are anonymised names because Francis fears mental health stigmatisation if family or friends were able to identify them.