Holly Bancroft
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hollybancroft.bsky.social
Holly Bancroft
@hollybancroft.bsky.social
710 followers 260 following 49 posts
Home affairs correspondent at The Independent
📧 holly.bancroft@independent.co.uk
Posts Replies Media Videos
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Thousands of families, including more than 6,000 children, will be hit by the shutdown of a lifeline visa route that allows refugees to reunite in the UK, according to new analysis.

Data projections from the British Red Cross show the impact of the pause.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Thousands of families hit by refugee visa route pause as scale of crackdown revealed
Exclusive: More than 6,000 children will be hit by shutdown after Labour said route was being manipulated by people-smuggling gangs
www.independent.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
kimjohnsonmp.bsky.social
Poverty crisis laid bare as 500k+ children living in families trapped in benefits debt cycle - a damning sign of the broken welfare system.

Forcing people to take out loans to survive the five-week wait for UC is pushing parents into poverty & food banks.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
UK poverty crisis as 500,000 children in homes trapped in benefit debt cycle
Exclusive: Tens of thousands of families are forced to take out loans to cover the five-week wait until their first universal credit payment – but many struggle to pay it back
www.independent.co.uk
October 10, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
the-independent.com
REVEALED | More than 16,000 Afghans were secretly brought to the UK in largest covert peacetime evacuation after MoD put them in danger of being targeted by the Taliban
July 15, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
michaelgoodier.bsky.social
worth reading from @hollybancroft.bsky.social on a government superinjunction that has just been lifted

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
My court fight to lift superinjunction and expose government’s secret failings
Social affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft was one of a handful of journalists who knew about a catastrophic Ministry of Defence data leak – but an unprecedented legal order meant it could not be rev...
www.independent.co.uk
July 15, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
maybulman.bsky.social
New: 'Defects' in decision-making led to Afghan special forces being wrongly denied relocation to the UK, High Court rules

Caseworkers weren't given access to relevant payment records & were 'overly reliant' on UKSF's input

@hollybancroft.bsky.social write-up
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Poor MoD decisions resulted in Afghan commandos being wrongly abandoned, judge finds
The Ministry of Defence ordered to publish ‘transparent and accurate’ information about review into Afghan commando cases
www.independent.co.uk
July 8, 2025 at 4:22 PM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Afghan resettlement schemes to the UK have been closed to new applicants as of today.

MoD's Arap scheme for those who worked alongside British was closed at 3pm today, and the ACRS scheme for Afghans at risk is also shut to new referrals.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Afghan resettlement schemes to the UK suddenly closed by government
Ministers close ‘lifeline’ sanctuary routes for Afghans who worked with British troops and who fought for democracy and womens’ rights
www.independent.co.uk
July 1, 2025 at 3:19 PM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
A Brazilian fine art student has said her “dreams are on hold” after being left in limbo for seven months due to Home Office visa errors.

“I’ve had to give up on so many dreams and I feel lost in the system," Julia said.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
‘I came to the UK for my dream career. Now Home Office errors have left me jobless’
Brazilian student Júlia Couto has been waiting for seven months to find out if she can stay in the UK
www.independent.co.uk
June 19, 2025 at 7:52 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Man with cerebral palsy and epilepsy detained by Home Office for 10 months despite doctor’s warning
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Man with cerebral palsy detained for 10 months by Home Office despite health warning
The shocking case emerged in a report into immigration detention which warned sites are becoming increasingly unsafe due to overcrowding
www.independent.co.uk
June 19, 2025 at 7:46 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Repeated failings at migrant hotel where asylum seeker killed himself exposed

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Repeated failings at migrant hotel where asylum seeker killed himself exposed
Special report: Staff at hotel were ‘not appropriately trained’ and Home Office officials didn’t know who was providing crucial services
www.independent.co.uk
May 29, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
patrickbarkham.bsky.social
Last year was another disastrous summer for British butterflies. These declines are the tip of an invertebrate iceberg that's melting away. The only way to stop these losses is to radically reset the way we live, work, eat and farm. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Last summer was second worst for common UK butterflies since 1976
More than half of Britain’s 59 native species are in long-term decline, UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme finds
www.theguardian.com
April 2, 2025 at 8:01 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Hundreds of complaints escalated to Home Office asylum hotel providers last year:

I've been looking at some of the evidence to MPs for their asylum accommodation inquiry and there are some very concerning cases submitted and clear safeguarding issues.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Children experiencing malnutrition and stunted growth in Home Office asylum hotels
Nearly 1,500 complaints escalated by help service to Home Office accommodation providers last year, new data reveals
www.independent.co.uk
March 28, 2025 at 10:05 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Tiktok will be compelled to give evidence in 13-year-old Maia Walsh's inquest.

Pre-inquest review hearing heard yesterday that she had been watching 'concerning' content on the app before she died.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Girl, 13, posted on TikTok she wouldn’t live beyond 14 before she died, coroner hears
Social media platform will be compelled to provide evidence in case of 13-year-old’s death
www.independent.co.uk
March 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Anxiety and poor mental health exacerbated by the pandemic is a key driver behind the school absence crisis, a programme supporting students to return to the classroom has found.

www.independent.co.uk/news/educati...
Post-Covid anxiety is key driver in children skipping school, pilot programme finds
Children lost an estimated 11.5 million days of learning last autumn term as school absence rates remain higher than pre-pandemic
www.independent.co.uk
March 24, 2025 at 8:52 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
A mother who admitted killing her baby 27 years ago said her arrest in 2023 was a “relief”, telling detectives: “It’s not easy to live with all that time. I thought this would happen, you don’t get away with anything forever”.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
March 21, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
alb-toth.bsky.social
A serious problem at the moment. Rising rents are rapidly outstripping frozen housing benefits, leaving so many in impossible situations.

One man I spoke to, Steve, told me that almost all of his health benefits go towards his private rent now.

The layered consequences of inadequacy and inaction:
The people struggling to make ends meet as benefits lag behind soaring rents
New analysis has found almost half of all private renters who receive housing benefit experience a shortfall between the government support and monthly rents. Holly Bancroft and Albert Toth speak to c...
www.independent.co.uk
March 21, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
rachelmsavage.bsky.social
A nice positive story for a Monday: how Switzerland cleaned up its polluted lakes and rivers
From sewage and scum to swimming in ‘blue gold’: how Switzerland transformed its rivers
In the 1960s, the Swiss had some of the dirtiest water in Europe. Now, their cities boast pristine rivers and lakes – and other countries are looking to follow their lead
www.theguardian.com
March 17, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
pgourevitch.bsky.social
The Secret Campaign in China to Save a Woman Chained by the Neck

really extraordinary reporting of a grim story of human bondage and state silencing of protest in China

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
A Viral Video of a Chained Woman in China and the Secret Campaign to Save Her
The accidental discovery of the woman led to a video that went viral, spurring public outrage. The Communist Party quashed the discussion, but the anger never went away.
www.nytimes.com
March 5, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
lizziedearden.bsky.social
Breaking: Kyle Clifford looked up Andrew Tate's podcast the night before raping and murdering his ex-girlfriend and killing her sister and mother

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Louise Hunt's friends and family had already noticed "misogynistic traits" and seen him watching a Tate video
March 11, 2025 at 10:53 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Boys in England are significantly outperforming girls in maths and science, according to a new study.

Research from UCL shows that a huge disparity emerged between boys and girls in maths education in 2023 - ending years of similar results.

www.independent.co.uk/news/educati...
Boys in England significantly outperforming girls in maths for first time in decades
Girls’ lack of confidence studying maths and science could be impacting their results, academics warn
www.independent.co.uk
March 11, 2025 at 8:44 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Children are starting primary school struggling to communicate, teachers have warned.

The findings come as early years charities and organisations today publish a list of things children should be able to do before they arrive at reception.

www.independent.co.uk/news/educati...
Children are starting primary school struggling to communicate, teachers have warned
Warnings over declining language skills come as early years organisations publish list of things a child should be able to do before they start reception
www.independent.co.uk
March 11, 2025 at 8:43 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
NSPCC are launching their six-point action plan for children today. One of the asks is new legislation to tackle the emerging risks from generative AI.

You can read my interview with their CEO Chris Sherwood here:
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Criminals using AI images to extort children, new NSPCC chief warns
Chris Sherwood speaks to Holly Bancroft in his first interview since becoming the children’s charity CEO about the challenges facing this generation’s children
www.independent.co.uk
March 11, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
dpcarrington.bsky.social
People in London have been breathing significantly cleaner air since the expansion of the ultra low emission zone #ULEZ

#airpollution
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
London air pollution down since Ulez extended to outer boroughs, study finds
Levels of deadly pollutants have dropped, with significant improvements in capital’s most deprived areas
www.theguardian.com
March 7, 2025 at 8:46 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
A vulnerable woman who lay dead in her flat for three years was "left to fend for herself" by social services despite police warnings, her family have said.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Vulnerable woman who lay dead in flat for three years ‘left to fend for herself’
Laura Winham’s family say she would still be alive if social services had checked on her following police referral
www.independent.co.uk
February 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Holly Bancroft
dpcarrington.bsky.social
UK urged to act now on net zero – and skip two kebabs’ worth of meat a week

- Climate Change Committee issues advice to government on meeting carbon emissions target by 2050

Story by @fionaharvey.bsky.social

#climatecrisis
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
UK urged to act now on net zero – and skip two kebabs’ worth of meat a week
Climate Change Committee issues advice to government on meeting carbon emissions target by 2050
www.theguardian.com
February 26, 2025 at 9:08 AM
hollybancroft.bsky.social
Girl, 14, found in holdall in car boot trafficked to UK after being handed over to French police, report says

New inspection report into UK-run short term holding sites in France.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Girl found in holdall in car boot trafficked to UK after being handed to police
Officers using pain-inducing techniques on a detainee among report’s shocking findings
www.independent.co.uk
February 25, 2025 at 9:14 AM