69. New Report: How UK Asylum Process Fails Non-Religious Refugees with Dr Lucy Potter
"Home Office officials do not understand what apostasy is — and this affects how non-religious asylum seekers are recognised, questioned, and believed."
Dr Lucy Potter returns to Humanism Now to share the findings of her landmark new report on non-religious asylum claims in the UK, produced in collaboration with Humanists UK. Drawing on three years of in-depth qualitative research, the report is the first study to analyse Home Office decision-making policies for those seeking asylum on the basis of leaving religion or non-religious identity.
Things we discuss
✔︎ Why the Home Office misunderstands apostasy
✔︎ Cultural bias in credibility assessments
✔︎ How interpretation errors can undermine asylum claims
✔︎ Policy recommendations for fairer decision-making
Read the report
Available from Humanists UK (https://humanists.uk) from 24 March 2026.
Attend the report launch
📍 Online
📆 Tuesday 24 March, 1.00–2.30pm GMT
➡️ Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/report-launch-non-religious-apostasy-asylum-claims-in-the-uk-tickets-1982976511125/
Event Speakers:
- Dr Lucy Potter, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of York
https://humanismnow.buzzsprout.com/2246305/episodes/14031059/ - Lizzie Collinge MP, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group
https://humanismnow.buzzsprout.com/2246305/episodes/17588288/ - Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK
https://humanismnow.buzzsprout.com/2246305/episodes/17849032/ - Jamie Bell, Solicitor, Public Law and Immigration, Duncan Lewis
Connect with Dr Lucy Potter
- University of York profile: https://www.york.ac.uk/sociology/people/lucy-potter/
- ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship profile: https://wrdtp.ac.uk/postdoctoral-fellows/
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