Information for Refugees and Migrants

New to Manchester - In Case of Emergency

This section contains information on what to do and who to contact in a range of emergency situations.

For information on dealing with household emergencies, including gas and water leaks and electricity problems see Section 7 - Your Home.

If you are involved in, or see, an emergency such as a crime, fire or accident, you should phone: 999

Calling for Help in an Emergency

Calling 999 from a home telephone, public telephone or mobile phone is free of charge. (If you are calling from a mobile you do not need to have credit on your phone).

When you phone 999, the operator will ask you which service you need: Fire, Police, Ambulance or Coast Guard.

They will also ask your name and ask for information about what has happened and where (the address) help is needed. If the emergency is at your own home please tell the operator your postcode. If you are not sure exactly where you are, try to describe what you can see around you, and try to keep calm.

If you do not speak very good English say the name, in English, of the language you want to speak (for example French or Arabic) and you will be connected to an interpreter.

The Ambulance Service

The role of the ambulance service:

To go out to medical emergencies and accidents.
To give medical treatment at the scene of an emergency.
To transport patients in a critical condition to hospital.

In the event of a medical emergency:

Take the patient to the accident and emergency department of your nearest hospital if this is possible. Accident and Emergency (A & E) is also sometimes called A and E, or Casualty.
Take the patient to any Doctor (General Practitioner or GP) surgery (all GPs must treat any patient in an emergency).
If the patient should not be moved call 999 and ask for ambulance.

For less serious and non emergency medical situations please see Section 8 - Health and Well Being - Walk in Centres.The Fire and Rescue Service

The Role of the Fire and Rescue Service

To help make Greater Manchester a safer place.
To respond to fires and other emergencies such as road traffic accidents.
They also provide fire safety education to help people keep safe.

In the event of a fire or major incident call 999 and ask for the Fire Brigade

The Fire and Rescue service can check where you live for any fire risks for free. Please call free on 0800 555 815.

The Police

The role of Greater Manchester Police is:

To make Greater Manchester safer
To respond when a crime takes place
To catch criminals
To protect the public
To stop crime happening
To give advice on how to protect yourself

If you are a victim of a crime in Manchester you should contact Greater Manchester Police (GMP). You can:

Ring 999 (in an emergency where there is a threat to life or property) and ask for the Police.
Ring 101 (if it is not an emergency - for example, to report a smashed window, noisy neighbours or nuisance behaviour). Be patient, as it may take time for calls to be answered if the lines are busy.
Go to the nearest police station and report the incident in person.

If you see a crime or you are the victim of a crime you should always report it to the police. They need as much information as possible to stop further crimes happening in the future.

Please know if you are claiming asylum, reporting a crime to the police will not affect your asylum claim.

More information is available on the Greater Manchester Police website

The Directgov website explains the role of the police and other justice agencies.

Coast Guard Services.

If you visit the coast or beaches of the UK ( Britain ) and you:

see someone drowning
see a distress flare from a boat
see someone fall from a cliff or slip and they cannot get back up
slip on the cliffs and you cannot get back up

Call free 999 and ask for the Coast Guard.

Racial Harassment

Manchester has a proud tradition of welcoming people from abroad. Most people in Manchester are friendly and tolerant.

Racial harassment is persecuting, insulting or attacking someone, or damaging their property because of their colour, race, nationality or ethnic origin. This is illegal in the UK .

Examples of racial harrassment may include:

shouting racial insults or abuse
stirring up racial hatred in others
causing damage to houses or other property
racist words or slogans written on doors or walls
spitting, throwing eggs and other offensive behaviour
physical attacks in the street, home or other places

All of these acts are crimes, and the people committing them can be taken to court.

Refugees have the same right to legal protection from racial harassment as any other UK resident. If you are living in dispersal (Home Office funded) accommodation it is very important that you let your landlord know if you or others are being harassed, so that they can make a decision about how to protect the victims.

The Race and Hate Crime Report Line

The race and hate crime report line is an initial contact service available to any resident or visitor to the city of Manchester who may wish to report a hate crime.

This could be something that has happened to you or something that you witness. You may want to take further action and involve the police or just report the incident so that the City Council knows what is happening and can direct services to reduce crimes. You will not be asked to do anything you do not want to do.

Please call this free telephone number: 0800 083 0007.

Other Ways of Reporting Hate Crime

If you believe you are the victim of a hate crime you should telephone the police or:

Go to a police station
Go to a hate crime reporting centre - sometimes called a Third Party Reporting Centre
Tell your housing officer/landlord/NASS
Tell someone you know- a friend, a health visitor, a neighbour
Call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 to report a crime.

You do not have to give your name or any personal information. Or report it on the Crimestoppers website.

The following organisations are Race Hate Crime Reporting Centres:

All have more information and support around hate crime.

If you wish to report a racist incident, you can call in complete confidence to Freephone 08000 830 007 (Manchester City Council.)

Not every criminal act against a refugee or an asylum seeker is racial harassment, but it should still be reported.

If you are Arrested

If you are arrested or charged with a crime the police should tell you the reason for your arrest. You have the right to:

free legal advice from a solicitor at the police station
to send a message to a friend or family member

If you have difficulty speaking or reading English, you can ask for an interpreter.

Stop and Search Powers

The power to stop and search people can help the police to detect crime and make your community safer. Stop and Search is when a police officer stops and searches you, your clothes, your vehicle or anything you are carrying. You can ask for the name of the officer who has stopped you, the police station where he or she is based and the reason for the search.

Further information can be found in a leaflet called Stop and Search - Know your rights which is available in many languages.

Making a complaint about the police

There are many ways you can make your complaint:

the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
An advice organisation for example, the Citizens' Advice Bureau.

To make your complaint please call the Independent Police Complaints Commission on 08453 002 002.

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence is the abuse of one person within a personal relationship by another. It is an act or actions that force you to alter your behaviour. If you live in fear of how your family may react to your behaviour, you may be experiencing Domestic Violence. The violence can be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual. For example, not letting you have food or money or stopping you from going out of the home alone.

In the UK , domestic violence is a criminal offence.
The police can take action to protect women and children who can go to live in safe accommodation - this is called a refuge.

The Refuge website has more information about domestic violence in different languages.

If you are experiencing Domestic Violence, or if you are in danger, telephone 999 and ask for the police or go to your local police station.
Contact an organisation such as the National Domestic Violence Helpline free on 0808 2000 247 (24 hours a day 7 days a week).
Contact Manchester Women's Domestic Violence Helpline on 0161 636 7525 (Monday - Friday. 10am-4pm, Tuesday 10am-7pm). Community Helpline Language Service - Urdu and Punjabi Monday & Tuesday 10.00am - 1.00pm, Wednesday 1.00pm - 4.00pm.

Manchester City Council has information on domestic violence support organisations and links to the End The Fear website where you will find a printable leaflet in 8 languages explaining the support and options available to you.

Forced Marriages

The Directgov website has important information about forced marriages.

Missing Persons

If someone you know has gone missing or run away you should report it to your local police station. They can investigate and try to find the missing person.

Missing People is a national charity that supports people who are missing someone. They are also a contact point for people who have run away. Please call free on 0500 700 700.

The Directgov website also has information on what to do if someone is missing.

If someone is not Expected to Get Well Again (Terminally ill)

If someone is terminally ill they can be treated and supported at home, in hospital and also in a hospice.

Hospice Care

Hospices are residential units that provide care specifically for people who are terminally ill, and offer support to those who care for them. Hospices specialise in palliative care (including pain relief), which aims to make the end of a person's life as comfortable as possible and to relieve their symptoms when a cure is not possible.

Hospices are run by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, counsellors and trained volunteers. Many hospices offer bereavement counselling. Hospice staff can sometimes visit people at home and are often on call 24 hours a day. It is also possible for patients to receive day care at the hospice without moving in, or to stay for a short period to give their carers a break.

There is no charge for hospice care, but the person you care for must be referred to a hospice through their doctor or hospital.

The Directgov website has more detailed information regarding the care options and support available.

What to Do if Someone Dies in England

If you are with someone when they die and there is no doctor present, you should call your doctor or dial 999 and ask for an ambulance. A doctor will be able to issue a death certificate which you will need later.

When someone dies, there are certain organisations that need to be informed, and some forms that need to be completed. The death should be registered at the Local Registry Office and you will need to contact a funeral director (they are listed in telephone directories) so that arrangements for the funeral can be made. If the person was receiving state benefits or tax credits, the offices that were making the payments need to be informed. You can find out more about what to do after death, including what to do about a burial abroad at the Directgov website.

Moving the Body for Burial Outside of England and Wales

If you need to take the body overseas for burial, you must contact the local coroner (Names and numbers will be listed in the local telephone directory). This process can take time so inform the coroner as soon as possible and tell them if this is urgent. The Directgov website has further information.

If a Family Member has British Citizenship and Dies Abroad

When someone dies abroad, the death may seem more distressing because of the complications of being away from home and dealing with strangers, but you may be able to get help from the British Authorities in the UK and overseas. The Directgov website has more information.

Still Births

A still-born child is a child born after the 24th week of pregnancy that did not breathe or show any signs of life. When a child is still-born the midwife or doctor must be asked to issue a medical certificate of still-birth which is required for the death to be registered.

A still-birth should be registered within 42 days and cannot be registered more than three months after the event. Find out more about registering a still birth.

Support After Someone Dies

There are many Government organisations that can offer support and comfort in times of bereavement. The Manchester City Council Website has information about support organisations based in the Manchester area

People to Talk to in Times of Need or When You Have a Problem

If you are feeling lonely, upset or frustrated, it may help you to talk to somebody friendly who will listen to your problems and try to help.

There are a number of regular drop-ins in the city that provide informal help in a supportive environment, some of these are run by asylum-seekers or refugees who may be familiar with the problems you face.

The Refugee and Migrants Forum have a directory with details of drop-ins and of refugee community groups, which can provide support in Manchester .

The Samaritans (No interpreter services)

If you are worried about something, feel upset or confused, or just want to talk to someone, you can call a free and confidential help line called the Samaritans. This service has experienced volunteers who can either just listen to you or discuss your problems, depending on what you want. You do not have to give your name. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week every day of the year.

The number is 08457 90 90 90.

Housing/ Nuisance Neighbours

If you are in Home Office funded asylum accommodation (often referred to as NASS or UKBA accommodation) - report the problem to your landlord or your caseworker.
Manchester City Council's Housing Services web page has more information on dealing with problems with neighbours.

If You Have no Money, no Home or Food (meaning destitute)

If you are having problems with your immigration status you may find yourself unable to work or to access support from the government. If you are unable to support yourself and do not have food and shelter, there are a number of agencies in Manchester , that provide free food parcels and support.

The British Red Cross work with most of the destitution support agencies in Manchester and will refer people to the nearest agency. Documents proving status may be requested.

Please also phone the Boaz Trust on 0161 202 1056 (Mon-Friday 9.00am-5.00pm).

You can download this section as a pdf for printing if you need to.

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