Category: Destitution

Posted on

Compass: Safeguarding Children from Destitution:

2015 June 18BASW: Local Authority Responses to Families with ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’

Implications for policy and practice: There is a range of steps which could be considered to address this situation.
The use of the ‘No recourse to public funds’ restriction as a means of immigration control – whether it is necessary and proportionate or alternatives could be deployed – is beyond the scope of this study. We suggest only that our findings should be taken into account in any review of the extent to which the NRPF restriction is used, not least for people who will be in the UK for long periods, recognising the implications for children in the small minority of families that become destitute and financial consequences for local authorities. Continue reading “Compass: Safeguarding Children from Destitution:”
Posted on

ILPA: General Election, implications for immigration, asylum and nationality law and related areas 8 May 2015

ILPAThe Conservative party has a small, outright, majority.  A Conservative government will need the support of the right of the parliamentary Conservative party, a section hostile to both the European Union and to human rights legislation, to go it alone on any issue.  The Government will need to work with other parties to have a majority on matters where it does not have the support of the right of its parliamentary party and whether those parties will be minded to support it on such matters or to see it fail is as yet unknown.

The Conservative party manifesto commits the party to repealing the Human Rights Act 1998,  to introducing a British Bill of Rights and to curtailing the role of the European Court of Human Rights, in particular where deportation cases are concerned. Continue reading “ILPA: General Election, implications for immigration, asylum and nationality law and related areas 8 May 2015”

Posted on

Cambridge Council passes motion against destitution

cambridge-logoOn 16 April 2015, Cambridge City Council became the 13th Council to pass a motion against the destitution of asylum seekers.  The motion was proposed by Cllr. Mike Pitt (Lib Dem) and passed without any votes against.
Asylum Seekers

The Council notes that asylum seekers can still legitimately be in the United Kingdom following initial refusal of their claims, because they are appealing the decision or because it is not possible for them to return home. Many originally refused applications are then allowed on appeal. However while waiting for a final outcome they can be left with minimal or no support and in some cases in destitution. The cashless azure card scheme does not give enough money for people to live on, does not allow them to save or use public transport, and is dehumanizing.

The principles of natural justice would suggest that they should have decent support to live and assistance with the legal process to ensure they are heard fairly.  Refugees who have been waiting for our processes should be expected and allowed to work to support themselves, both to improve integration and reduce the burden on the state, during the legal processes.

The Council further notes the long standing campaigning of the “Still Human, Still Here” campaign to raise this issue.

The Council should

* Bring a report to the relevant scrutiny committee to consider joining the “Still Human, Still Here” campaign and any impacts this may have on council activity as soon as reasonably possible.

*Write to both Cambridge’s MPs and to the Home Secretary and Immigration Minister, following the General Election, asking them to support those seeking protection from persecution.

* Endorse the findings of the All Party Parliamentary Inquiry on Asylum Support for Children.

* Ask group leaders to work through the Local Government Association to encourage other Councils to join the campaign.

Posted on

Hustings Question

questionmark“Is it fair that every person whose claim for Asylum has already been scrutinised by the Home Office and agreed, should now, from 6th April, be obliged to pay out the massive sum of over £1200 per head, including children; in order to renew permission to stay here: or face removal back tothe country from which they have fled? “
Posted on

Humiliation for Thousands of “DLR”temporary residents

quaker orangeIn the week following Easter Monday I discovered to my horror that a new draconian fee regime had been devised to deprive a large number of my clients of their right to renewal. At least a quarter of a million asylum seekers have been granted “discretionary leave to remain”, most of them under the so-called “Legacy” backlog exercise. A large number of them were refused asylum, but granted Indefinite Leave to Remain. They are not affected. But an executive decision was made to abolish this in May 2011 and thereafter an equally large number of   people have been granted only 3 or 2½ years stay. Those who renewed their stay before 6 April this year did so free of charge, but they will be hit by the draconian charges in 2-3 years time (unless the fee demand has been overthrown before then). However, this still leaves a huge number of renewers who will be hit over the next weeks and months. Continue reading “Humiliation for Thousands of “DLR”temporary residents”

Posted on

Draconian changes to renewal of Discretionary Leave to Remain

quaker_home_theme1Draconian changes to renewal of Discretionary Leave to Remain for Asylum-Seekers. This is a long post as there is a lot of information, but please read it and take action accordingly. Thanks.

Please read the information below and contact your parliamentary candidates (including Conservatives – probably most of them don’t know about this) to ask for their response and what their party (if not Conservative) would do to change this policy. Discretionary Leave to Remain is granted to asylum-seekers who are not granted full refugee status but who are allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds or if they cannot be returned to their home country. It is usually for up to three years and can then be renewed.

You can find your candidates at http://www.yourcandidates.org.uk/ Continue reading “Draconian changes to renewal of Discretionary Leave to Remain”

Posted on

Destitution: Meeting for Sufferings Minute 28 March 2015

quaker_home_theme1At a Meeting for Sufferings held in London on Saturday 28 March 2015 MfS/15/03/15 Asylum Seekers:

Destitution We receive the following minutes from Area Meetings: South East London AM minute 14/102; Pendle Hill AM minute 10; Leeds AM minute AM14/109; North East Thames AM minute 15/36; Leicester AM minute 15/32; South Wales AM minute 14:12:07; and Oxford and Swindon AM minute 16/2015c. These minutes bring to our attention a statement made by Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network about the use of destitution as an instrument of immigration control.

Sheila Moseley of Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network has spoken to the concern. Many Friends are deeply troubled by the situation and we have heard of the work that Friends are doing locally, both as Meetings and as individuals. Many are working with local asylum and refugee groups, the Red Cross and the City of Sanctuary movement.

This is not an issue that is going to go away quickly, and we feel it would be useful to develop a public statement that we can use in working with national and local governments.

We forward this minute to QPSW Central Committee and ask them to bring a draft back to a future meeting.

Ethel Livermore

Clerk

Juliet Prager

Deputy Recording Clerk

Posted on

JRF: DESTITUTION IN THE UK: AN INTERIM REPORT

2015 March 25 JRF DestitutionExecutive summary:

Background: There is a widespread perception that destitution is increasing sharply in the UK. Media attention devoted to the prevalence of extreme hardship, and to the increased use of food banks in particular, is indicative of increasing public concern. Prominent public figures have made connections between destitution and government policies on immigration and asylum, welfare reform, homelessness, and exploitation and forced labour. Yet quantitative evidence on the causes, scale, trends and distribution of destitution in the UK is difficult to come by, as is data on the characteristics of those affected and the impact that this experience has on them. Continue reading “JRF: DESTITUTION IN THE UK: AN INTERIM REPORT”

Posted on

Update on health charges

Still human still hereThe Department of Health met with a range of agencies on 12 February to update and discuss the implementation of the charging regime for overseas visitors (a note of key points from the meeting is attached).  The Dept of Health is moving forward with Phases 1-3 of the programme: improving cost recovery from the current charging system, improving identification of those who are eligible/exempt from charging, and implementing the migrant surcharge (the surcharge will come into force on 6 April at a cost of £200 to migrants and £150 to students). The extension of charging to primary and A&E care (phase 4) has been de-prioritised in order to focus on phases 1-3. Any extension of charging to these areas will be subject to a further consultation, which is not likely to take place before the Autumn of 2015. Continue reading “Update on health charges”
Posted on

Questions for MPs/Hustings – destitution

Still human still hereCurrently single people receive about 50%of the normal income support rate when they receive support from the NASS system. It is arguable that even asylum seekers on NASS support can be defined as destitute, because they cannot meet their basic needs on the amount of support they receive.