Asylum Seekers Who Come to the UK and Say They Are LGBT May Start Getting Their Way After a Campaign Supporting Their Demands Kicks Off

A charity that supports LGBT asylum seekers in the UK has received almost £1 million in National Lottery funding, despite facing criticism over its claims about the British Government and its immigration policies.

Rainbow Migration helps people who say they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and are seeking protection in Britain. The charity also campaigns for changes to immigration rules, including an end to the detention of LGBT asylum seekers.

According to reports, the charity has launched a campaign calling on the Government to stop holding LGBT asylum seekers in immigration detention centres. It claims that 112 MPs support the campaign.

Financial records show that Rainbow Migration received £952,000 from National Lottery funds during 2023 and 2024. The money was reportedly provided to help pay staff salaries and cover the charity’s everyday running costs.

However, the funding has raised questions among Conservative politicians, who believe lottery money should not be used to support political campaigns.

Shadow Culture Secretary Rebecca Paul criticised the funding, saying National Lottery money should be spent openly and responsibly.

She described the situation as disgraceful and questioned why public money was going to an organisation that campaigns against Government immigration policies.

Rainbow Migration has repeatedly criticised the way Britain treats asylum seekers, particularly those who identify as LGBT.

The charity has argued that some immigration policies put vulnerable people at serious risk. In one article published in 2025, it accused the British state of creating conditions that could lead to LGBT asylum seekers being harmed or even killed.

It claimed that the Government’s approach to immigration was deliberately hostile and could have serious consequences for people seeking safety in Britain.

The charity has also published articles discussing the history of gender identity and discrimination.

During Trans Awareness Month last year, one article on its website argued that the traditional division of people into two sexes was influenced by colonial history. It also claimed that discrimination against transgender people had links to colonialism.

These statements have attracted criticism from people who disagree with the charity’s views.

Rainbow Migration has also shared a reading list for Pride 2026, recommending books about LGBT experiences, identity and discrimination.

Among the books mentioned were Homosexual Intifada: A Queer Palestinian Anthology, Black Trans Feminism and This Queer Arab Family.

The charity’s main work involves helping LGBT people who say they have fled countries where they could face violence, imprisonment or persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

It provides advice and support to people applying for asylum and helps them understand the UK immigration system.

Under international refugee and human rights laws, the UK cannot send someone back to a country where they face a real risk of persecution, torture or death.

This protection can apply to people who face serious danger because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

However, some Conservative politicians have raised concerns that the asylum system could be abused by people making false claims about their sexuality.

There have also been reports of legal advisers charging migrants thousands of pounds to help them prepare asylum applications based on claims that they are gay.

Critics say such cases raise questions about whether the Home Office is doing enough to check asylum applications properly.

Figures show that asylum claims involving sexual orientation increased by around 90% between 2021 and 2023, reaching approximately 1,400 in 2023.

Conservative politicians have pointed to this increase as a reason to examine the system more closely. However, the rise in applications does not, by itself, prove that the claims are false.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised organisations such as Rainbow Migration, arguing that their campaigns could make it harder for the Government to remove people who have no legal right to remain in Britain.

He said charities campaigning for changes to immigration rules risk making border enforcement more difficult.

Meanwhile, the National Lottery Community Fund has defended its support for charities that help vulnerable people.

A spokesperson said the organisation was proud of the work carried out by groups receiving its grants, particularly those helping people who need support.

The funding has now become part of a wider debate about how National Lottery money should be spent and whether charities receiving large grants should be involved in campaigns challenging Government policies.

Supporters of organisations such as Rainbow Migration believe charities should be free to speak out when they think vulnerable people are being treated unfairly.

Critics, however, argue that organisations receiving public funding should be more accountable for how the money is used, especially when they are involved in politically sensitive issues such as immigration.

It has not been established that Rainbow Migration used the National Lottery grants directly to fund political campaigning, rather than the staffing and running costs described in its accounts.

Rainbow Migration was approached for comment on the criticism and questions surrounding its funding.