supporting people with no recourse to public funds good practice in homelessness services
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Supporting people with No Recourse to Public Funds Good practice in homelessness services. Tasmin Maitland, Head of Innovation and Good Practice [email protected] @tasmin_igp. Refugees have recourse to public funds! Refugee status Humanitarian protection - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Supporting people with No Recourse to Public FundsGood practice in homelessness services
Tasmin Maitland, Head of Innovation and Good [email protected]@tasmin_igp
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Refugees have recourse to public funds!
Refugee statusHumanitarian protection
Discretionary leaveIndefinite leave to remain
usually same entitlement to public funds as UK citizens and able to work
although, increasingly, discretionary leave is awarded with NRPF
www.homeless.org.uk/effective-action/refugees
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NRPF refers to people who are subject to immigration control and have no entitlement to welfare benefits or public housing
High risk of homelessness and destitution
No access to mainstream housing, welfare benefits
No / limited access to employment
Hidden homeless
Mistrust of statutory and voluntary agencies
Few specialist services
Generic services reluctant to engage – assume nothing can be done
The issue
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Asylum seekers o asylum claim in process, Home Office Asylum Supporto reached the end of the legal process and been refused
Undocumented or ‘irregular’ migrantso entered without a visao stayed after visa expiry o other immigration irregularities
Documented or ‘regular’ migrants with no incomeo entered with visa, loss of income due to change in circumstances
Migrants who do not have the right to resideo includes non-EEA migrants and some EEA nationals
Migrants who do not pass the habitual residence testo includes returning UK citizens
Who has no recourse to public funds?
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It is Home Office Immigration Enforcement’s role to take action where necessary, not the role of charities.
Even when a client has absconded (i.e. evaded Home Office reporting, detention or deportation) there is no obligation on services to contact the Home Office and report them.
It is legal to support ‘irregular’ migrants
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1. Return to ‘country of origin’
2. Regularise immigration status to remain in the UK legally
3. Start or re-start a claim for asylum
4. Get support to alleviate destitution
Assessment & Support
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Check status, collect information, source translation
Explain all the options at the start
Legal aid
Working with Home Office Immigration
Home Office financial support:o Section 95: active asylum claimso Section 4: hardship claims
Accommodation:o Specialist serviceso Voluntary sector – night shelters, SWEP, spare room schemes, hostels, supported
housing etc
Local Authority / Social Services / Mental Health
Assessment & Support
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Statutory sources:o Home Office Asylum Support
o Local Authority Homelessness Grant
o Social Services
o Mental Health Act
o Domestic Violence (Local Authority)
Voluntary sector: Mixed funding streams for bed space allocation
Grants and donations
Challenging ‘contract culture’
Funding
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ResourcesHomeless Link guidance:www.homeless.org.uk/effective-action/nrpfwww.homeless.org.uk/effective-action/refugees www.homeless.org.uk/effective-action/trafficking
www.homeless.org.uk/effective-action/EEAresponseandofferwww.homeless.org.uk/effective-action/reconnectingroughsleepers www.homeless.org.uk/effective-action/EEAentitlements
Other useful links: www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk www.lawcentres.org.ukwww.asylumaid.org.ukwww.ilpa.org.uk
Refugee Action’s Services
Refugee Action is a independent national charity working to enable migrants to build new lives. With more than 30 years’ experience, we empower refugees, asylum seekers and migrants by providing confidential, impartial and non-directive advice.
Support and Advice to
Asylum SeekersUNHCR Gateway Protection
Programme for Refugees
Policy and Campaigning
Assisted Voluntary Return
Choices
Model of Advice Choices
Client Centred• Explore all options available
to client• Life in UK• Legal avenues (OISC 2)
Impartial, non-directive & independent
Empower clients to make their own informed decision
ConfidentialNo personal details need be given, nor will any be passed on to 3rd parties (including UKBA), in order to obtain information and advice.
Motivation of ReturnPull Factors
• Change of government• Peace agreement• Family Illness• Death/bereavement
• Offer of employment• Marriage• Partner and family ask to
return• Homesickness
Push Factors • Refusal of asylum/appeal• Time waiting for decision• Refusal of a friend/family
member• Poor
accommodation/Destitution
• Limited access to legal advice
• Unable to seek employment
• Language difficulties• Isolation/loneliness• Cultural differences/way
of life
Choices
Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes
• Assisted Voluntary Return for Irregular Migrants programme (AVRIM)
• Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP)
• Assisted Voluntary Return for Families and Children Programme (AVRFC)
Choices
Eligibility Criteria• Irregular Migrants
• Asylum Seekers or refused Asylum Seekers
• Migrants with Discretionary Leave to Remain
Not eligible if:
• Subject to on going criminal proceedings in the UK
• Received prison sentence in UK which adds up to 12 months or more (FRS)
• Removal Directions issued
Choices
Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes Our 3 programmes offer:
• Flight and onward travel to final destination• Assistance with obtaining Travel Documents• Reintegration planning• Assistance at the airport
In addition financial assistance is provided to:
• Asylum Seekers and migrants with Discretionary Leave to Remain - up to £1500
• All families and unaccompanied minors – up to £2000 per family member
• Irregular Migrants -vulnerability payment up to £1000 in exceptional circumstances
Choices
Client Journey Choices
Pre-Decision
Stage• Non-directive advice• Completing form• Signposting/referral
Logistics Stage
• Travel Document• Flight
Reintegration Stage
• Reinegration Plan
Safeguarding Policies
• Physical and Mental Health Needs
• Victims of Trafficking (NRM, Salvation Army, First
Responder)
• Domestic Violence
• High Risk Countries
• Unaccompanied Minors (Best Interest Assessment/Social,
CFAB)
Choices
Assistance by our Overseas Partners
• Meet and Greet at Airport
• Reintegration payments
• Advice and assistance
• Tailored reintegration packages
Choices
• Algeria• Bangladesh• Bolivia• Brazil• China• Ghana• India• Iraq • Jamaica• Malawi• Mauritius• Mongolia• Nigeria• Pakistan• South Africa• Sri Lanka• Uganda• Zimbabwe
How to contact ChoicesClients can call us
Freephone on:
0808 800 0007
Or visit the Choices website:www.choices-avr.org.uk
Choices
We have multilingual Leaflets and posters available
Drop-in Sessions:Mondays &
Wednesdays10am – 12pm2pm – 4pm
Personal Contact Details
Aftaar Malik
Mobile: 07795300766
Choices Freephone Number: 08088000007
Referrals: [email protected]
Choices
Accommodating People with No Recourse to Public Funds
Set up Boaz Trust in 2004 To provide accommodation and holistic
support for destitute asylum seekers Currently supporting 78 people: 58
refused asylum seekers with NRPF and 20 refugees.
Accommodating People with No Recourse to Public Funds
NACCOM began in 2005 Network of organisations accommodating
destitute asylum seekers and migrants Currently 31 projects from Brighton to
Glasgow July 2013 there were 374 accommodated naccom.org.uk/news report - “Tackling
homelessness and destitution”
Accommodating People with NRPF – The Challenges
Not mainstream: against the tide Hard to fund (especially statutory): no
rents or HB Not profitable Long-term sustainability The numbers with NRPF are huge!
Accommodating People with NRPF – Solutions
Think outside the box Schemes will be ethos-driven Quality staff working for less Shared resources Working with people of goodwill Less statutory = more resilient
Accommodating People with NRPF – Schemes
Hosting: spare rooms in private houses Night shelters Religious orders / communities
Accommodating People with NRPF – Housing Schemes
Rented for NRPF Asylum Link Merseyside
Private Leased Boaz Trust
Vicarages / Presbyteries Arimathea Trust
Housing Associations Hope Housing
Rented Mixed Open Door NE
Accommodating People with NRPF – Considerations
There must be a way out of NRPF There must be wide support, or staff and
volunteers will burn out Good communications are essential Campaigning is also important Funding will always be needed but seek
sustainability
Accommodating People with NRPF – Conclusion
It can be done! It requires determination and innovation Ultimately there has to be a political
solution