SwanseaASPEN card support through Swansea Council – “Sanctuary in Lockdown” and the protection of social rights
What is inspiring?
Swansea (the first City of Sanctuary in Wales) turned a crisis into change. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the city – working very closely with civil society - replaced a complex voucher scheme with simple, direct payments to asylum seekers: The ASPEN (Asylum Support Enablement) cards, easing access to school meals for asylum seekers. In a hostile system, this small but powerful shift set a model for future support, and showed how local action can challenge exclusion with dignity and care. For the first time in Wales history, local funds were used to supplement national payments for asylum seekers.
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How does it operate?
The initiative operated through the regular roundtable online meetings led by the Swansea City of Sanctuary movement. By bringing together key stakeholders, including local organisations, activists, and representatives from Swansea Council they were able to identify the main challenges faced by asylum seekers during the pandemic. The local area coordinators of the Swansea City Council (community-based professionals recruited by the city administration to provide support and connect citizens with local resources) advocated on behalf of asylum seekers.
They negotiated with the UK national ‘Home Office’ and private accommodation providers to improve support, including securing ASPEN card top-ups for school meals and other vital services. Daily online meetings helped coordinate responses, with food poverty quickly emerging as a top priority for the local authority. The local area coordinators of the Swansea City Council also worked together with activists, volunteers and the Swansea Council for Voluntary Services to support asylum seekers and refugees in need during lockdown.
Who initiated the project? How?
Before the pandemic, asylum seekers in Swansea faced a hostile environment, living with just over €5.70 per day. Financial support was provided via the restrictive ASPEN card, which could only be used for essentials in designated shops. Seeing the pandemic crisis as an opportunity, the Swansea City of Sanctuary started the process “Sanctuary in Lockdown” holding regular online meetings from mid-March 2020 and bringing together key organisations, volunteers, and Swansea Council staff to facilitate real-time coordination and address urgent needs during the pandemic.
What is the outcome?
In Swansea, asylum seekers now receive school meal payments directly on their ASPEN cards (a first in Wales) replacing a complicated voucher system. This breakthrough came after civil society highlighted access issues with voucher schemes for those without bank accounts. What might seem like a small change had a big impact: making life easier for many families during the pandemic and setting a precedent for other types of support, such as school uniforms and poverty grants. Funds have also been raised from various sources to assist single asylum seekers with phone top-ups and loans of cheap laptops, so that they can stay in touch with family and friends as well as local support services, and keep up with public health announcements.