What Refugee Support Group 💚 does

Refugee Support Group (RSG) is a Berkshire-based registered charity (Charity No. 1098058; Company No. 04515238) founded in 1994 that provides free, confidential support services to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. Its core offerings comprise IAA-accredited immigration advice and casework (453 clients supported in FY2025), integration support through a weekly drop-in centre (1,745 attendees in FY2025), social activities including a refugee football team, English language lessons ('English for Grannies,' 50 registered in FY2025), advocacy campaigns, and youth programming (Homework Club). RSG's technology stack is essentially non-existent as a productized platform — services are delivered in person from a single Reading office operating Monday to Thursday, supported by basic digital infrastructure (JustGiving for donations, social media channels, and a website).

The business model is donation- and grant-driven: RSG provides all services free of charge to beneficiaries and funds operations through public donations, community fundraising events (e.g., Reading Legal Walk), corporate partnerships, bequests, and grants (e.g., Aviva Foundation Communities Fund). There is no pricing model in the commercial sense; the organization is sustained by community-led GTM, volunteer involvement, and partnerships with the City of Sanctuary network and Reading local government (including 2026 Mayor's Charity designation). Geographic operations are restricted to Berkshire, and the organization has been continuously present in the Reading community for over 30 years.

Name

Refugee Support Group 💚

Legal name

Refugee Support Group

Website

https://refugeesupportgroup.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Refugee Support Group is a Berkshire-based UK charity founded in 1994 that delivers free IAA-accredited legal advice, casework, drop-in integration services, English lessons, and youth programs to refugees and asylum seekers, funded by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Asylum Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG)

Keywords

• Refugee support services
• Immigration legal advice
• Asylum seeker assistance
• Community integration programs
• Charity fundraising services

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: RSG generates revenue through public donations, fundraising events, corporate partnerships, and bequests/legacies. They use JustGiving platform for online donations and organize events like the Reading Legal Walk.
2. Charitable Services: Core services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries (refugees and asylum seekers), funded through donations and grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Refugee Support Group is a Berkshire-based charity that provides free, confidential legal advice from IAA-accredited solicitors and caseworkers, practical casework support, and integration programs (including a weekly drop-in centre, social activities, refugee football team, English language lessons, and youth programs) to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. All services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through donations, grants, and fundraising.

Product overview

Refugee Support Group is a Berkshire-based charity founded in 1994 offering a unified set of social support services for refugees and asylum seekers. The core services include free confidential legal advice (delivered by IAA-accredited solicitors and caseworkers), integration support through drop-in centres and social activities, and advocacy campaigns. Additional programs include English language lessons (English for Grannies), youth support (Homework Club), and the refugee football team. The organization operates primarily in-person through its drop-in centre model and does not offer a technology product or software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advice Services Free, confidential legal advice and practical support delivered by IAA-accredited solicitors and caseworkers to refugees and asylum seekers in Berkshire on immigration and related matters.
• Integration and Support Integration services providing a safe drop-in space, social activities, and a refugee football team to help refugees rebuild their lives in Berkshire.
• Campaigns Advocacy campaigns supporting and advocating for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Berkshire.
• English for Grannies English language lessons specifically designed for older refugees, with 50 people registered in fiscal year ending 2025.
• Weekly Drop-in Centres Regular drop-in centre services attended by 1,745 people in fiscal year ending 2025, providing a safe social space for refugees and asylum seekers.
• Case Work Team Individual casework and advocacy services supporting 453 clients in fiscal year ending 2025.
• Homework Club Youth support program providing homework assistance to refugee children and young people.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1745 people attended weekly drop-in centres (FY ending 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• City of SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Reading has proudly been a City of Sanctuary since 2015, indicating formal membership in the UK City of Sanctuary network supporting refugees and asylum seekers. RSG operates as part of this network.
• Reading (Mayor as Charity Partner)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026RSG was announced as the Mayor's Charity for 2026, providing high-profile local government endorsement and partnership for fundraising activities.
• JustGivingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline fundraising platform used for accepting donations and running fundraising campaigns. Fundraising page at justgiving.com/rrsg.
• Immigration Advice Authority (IAA)coreOthersRSG's solicitor and caseworkers hold IAA accreditation, the regulatory body for immigration advice in the UK, enabling them to provide certified legal advice.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Refugee Action: UK charity delivering refugee support services including advice, integration programmes, and advocacy. Comparable service categories to RSG, with broader national reach and longer-running programmes.
• Refugee Council: National UK charity providing advice, advocacy, and integration support to refugees and asylum seekers. Directly comparable mission and service mix (advice, casework, integration), but operates at significantly larger national scale versus RSG's Reading-focused delivery.
• British Red Cross: Large UK humanitarian organisation providing refugee support, family reunion, and integration services. Overlapping mission and beneficiary base, but with significantly broader scope and scale.

Direct peers

• Jesuit Refugee Service UK: UK charity offering accompaniment, destitution support, and immigration advice to asylum seekers. Directly comparable to RSG's advice and casework services, though with a faith-based orientation and broader national footprint.
• Migrant Help: UK charity providing advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees, including casework and integration assistance. Closely comparable to RSG in service mix and beneficiary profile, operating across multiple UK regions rather than a single locality.
• Asylum Aid: UK charity providing legal representation and advice to asylum seekers, alongside campaigning on refugee rights. Directly comparable to RSG's IAA-accredited legal advice service and advocacy function.
• Asylum Welcome: Oxford-based charity providing drop-in services, advice, and integration support to refugees and asylum seekers. Closely comparable community-led service model to RSG, serving a neighbouring Thames Valley community.

Others

• City of Sanctuary UK: UK-wide network of cities and organisations supporting sanctuary seekers; RSG operates within this network through Reading's City of Sanctuary status. Functions as an ecosystem partner and referral channel rather than a direct service competitor.

Emerging players

• Refugees at Home: UK charity matching refugees and asylum seekers with hosts who offer temporary accommodation. Niche but comparable service category, focused on housing rather than the full advice/integration mix RSG offers.

Regional players

• Scottish Refugee Council: Scotland's national refugee charity delivering advice, integration, and advocacy services. Highly comparable service model to RSG but operates in a different UK region, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/rsgroup.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@refugeesupportgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/readingrefugees
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/readingrefugees
• Instagraminstagram.com/readingrefugees

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Refugee Support Group 💚