26 Nov The PAP Project

The PAP an innovative project where front line organisations are provided with training and supervision to enable them to prepare formal pre-action letters to challenge decisions made by or on behalf of Government.

For the three years to October 2024 whilst the Project was funded by the Barings Foundation and the Access to Justice Foundation, it enrolled over 1,000 users from around 250 organisations onto our free e-learning training, it reviewed more than 1,000 PAPs drafted by these users, and as a result successfully challenge a significant number of unlawful decisions from a range of public bodies, thereby helping countless claimants through the project.

Alongside many successful individual PAP letters, the past three years have seen several significant challenges from the PAP Project gain media attention. These cases have had a far-reaching positive impact on the legal sector and local communities. One notable example is a case taken on by DPG following a PAP letter written through the project, which led to a change in the law affecting thousands of pregnant women and parents with children under three years old living in hotels. This case was reported by The Guardian.

Another impactful case, following a PAP written through the PAP Project, successfully challenged the Home Office’s plan to relocate an asylum-seeking family away from their local community. The case gained further traction when hundreds of local residents campaigned against the relocation, as reported here.

Other significant cases connected to the project include those addressing delays in relocating pregnant women from hotel accommodation. Evidence from the PAP Project, documenting 25 similar cases, demonstrated that government action often only occurred after PAP letters were submitted. This revealed a systemic issue resulting from Home Office failings, which the High Court determined to be unlawful, as reported here.

Additionally, evidence from the PAP Project contributed to a systemic litigation case for our Wethersfield clients assisting in the positive outcome. Anonymous case studies, primarily from clients taken on through the PAP Project, were submitted as evidence to illustrate that the accommodation is largely unsuitable for many occupants.

The PAP Project is increasingly recognised as a key part of the response to the government’s aggressive stance toward migrants over the past three years. As a result of the project, Polly Glynn was invited on two occasions to give evidence to the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, in October 2020 and January 2023. The PAP Project has not only made a profound difference for the individuals the letters are written on behalf of but has also been widely beneficial to the legal sector and surrounding migrant communities. More details and how to get involved can be found on the PAP website. A short film about the project is here.

The PAP Project is now funded by the A B Charitable Trust.

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