Together with the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU), we have produced an information sheet about local authority support for destitute families in GM. We don’t believe that anyone should be forced into destitution because of their immigration status – especially children. The information sheet, which you can view here, is therefore aimed at families themselves, and services supporting them, to identify a potential pathway out of destitution.
While people with ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF) cannot access mainstream welfare, they may be eligible for support under section 17 of the Children Act 1989. Our information sheet includes:
- What section 17 support should entail, and what people should not be offered
- How to apply and where people can seek advice
- How children’s services will decide what to offer
- How immigration status may affect the support offered, as well as any risks to applying
The information sheet follows a community consultation conducted by MDF together with our referral partner Equal Education Chances, which found that people were unaware of the support available, had high levels of mistrust in social services, and feared that approaching social services could lead to negative consequences from the Home Office. This isn’t surprising: the Hostile Environment creates a generalised atmosphere of fear. However, within this, concrete risks vary according to immigration status – for example, a family with a pending application to the Home Office faces much less risk than a family with no current status and nothing pending.
We are also aware from MDF’s and GMIAU’s wider work that people often face barriers applying for section 17 support. Social workers may be unaware of people’s entitlements, and may see the NRPF condition as a barrier to support – even though section 17 is not classed as a public fund for immigration purposes.
Our information sheet therefore provides transparency about what is available and the process for applying, so that people are informed about their rights and can hold services accountable. We also address people’s fears, by outlining how different immigration statuses and different personal circumstances carry different levels of risk. We emphasise the importance of seeking advice to mitigate any risks.
While the Hostile Environment continues to keep children in our communities trapped in destitution, we hope that this information sheet will empower families to stand up for their rights and begin the journey out of destitution.