Dr Lucy Potter is an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow within the Department of Sociology at the University of York. Continuing her collaboration with Humanists UK, she explores the experiences of 'apostate' refugees and their asylum claims in the UK. Lucy’s academic interests lie at the intersection of forced migration and non-religion studies.

In March 2026, Lucy launched a report – Freedom of religion or belief for all: recognising and protecting the non-religious in the asylum system. Based on three years of research, the report highlights persistent gaps in how the Home Office treats non-religious claims, revealing that individuals who have fled persecution for leaving high-control religions are frequently met with credibility tests that demand unfair proof of their non-religious belief or lack of belief. Her ongoing advocacy tackles these blind spots head-on, calling for urgent, practical reforms to guarantee equal human rights protections for apostate refugees.

Donna Craine is Support and Advocacy Services Manager with Faith to Faithless at Humanists UK.