Bradford Council was awarded  Local Authority of Sanctuary status in December 2021. Bradford Council were one of the first councils in the UK to achieve the new Local Authority of Sanctuary award, having been a longstanding supporter of Bradford City of Sanctuary since 2009.

The Local Authority of Sanctuary Award recognises that the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council is committed to promoting a culture and practice of welcome for sanctuary seekers and has successfully gone through the award appraisal process.

Bradford itself was first nationally recognised as a ‘city of sanctuary’ in 2010 –  one of the first in the country. This was subsequently renewed early in 2014 following a thorough reappraisal. We regularly meet with the council to discuss how they embed a culture of welcome across their work and to ensure the commitments made in their application are followed through, as well as the recommendations of the appraisal panel.

We are proud of this city!