HIGH COURT JUDGMENT ON ASYLUM SUPPORT

• Session: 2014-15
• Date tabled: 16.06.2014
• Primary sponsor: Pearce, Teresa
• Sponsors:
  • Teather, Sarah
  • Stunell, Andrew
  • Bottomley, Peter
  • Durkan, Mark
  • Ritchie, Margaret

That this House notes the High Court judgment of 9 April 2014 (Refugee Action v Secretary of State for the Home Department) which states that the Government’s assessment of the amount needed by asylum seekers to meet their essential living needs is flawed and further notes the Government’s decision not to appeal this ruling; is concerned as stated in the judgment, that asylum support rates have not been increased since April 2011 and that the majority of those on asylum support receive just £5.23 a day to pay for essentials such as food, clothing and toiletries; further notes that asylum seekers spend an average of 18 months on this support and are almost never allowed to work; believes this is detrimental to the well-being of refugees including children; is particularly concerned that children aged 16 and 17 years are treated as adults for the purposes of asylum support making it difficult to participate fully in education; and calls on the Government to raise asylum support rates to at least 70 per cent of income support – the equivalent of £7.17 a day for most adult asylum seekers – and to increase this in line with inflation annually.