Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 18 June 2002)

§ Lord Filkin

The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) assumed responsibility for the support of asylum seekers who are destitute on 3 April 2000. The vast majority of new asylum seekers who are destitute are supported directly by NASS. The only exception would be where a newly arrived asylum seeker sought to join the household of a pre-existing asylum seeker who was in receipt of support under the interim scheme by either a local authority or of benefits from the Benefits Agency.

Some asylum seekers remain supported by local authorities under the interim scheme. This group includes those who applied in country before the NASS system of support was rolled out in their area and port applicants who applied prior to 3 April 2000 who had a negative claim recorded on their application prior to 25 September 2000. Asylum seekers who applied for asylum on arrival prior to 3 April 2000 and who have not received an initial decision on their claim are supported under income support arrangements.

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Unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs) are suported by local social services departments in the same way as they do for any other child in need of care.

The Home Office pays grant, within unit cost limits, to local authorities to meet the direct costs associated with supporting asylum seekers under the interim scheme and of supporting UASCs.

There are no plans to subsume the number of asylum seekers supported under income support arrangements into the NASS system of support. As these cases receive an initial decision they transfer either directly to the NASS system of support or to the interim scheme. The regulations governing the interim scheme are due to end on 5 April 2004.