Facts & Figures

BID exists to provide a free bail service to detained asylum seekers and migrants. We also work to improve access to bail for asylum seekers, to raise awareness of detention issues, and offer training to solicitors.

Public funding was introduced for bail applications in January 2000.  However many legal advisers prefer to concentrate their efforts on the client’s main case, once public funding has been agreed. Because a decision to take on a case is subject to a strict merits test, many detainees remain unrepresented through their appeal process, and by extension, without assistance with bail applications. As a result the demand for our services is very high.  In the last twelve months BID has provided support  to over 2,000 detainees.