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100998

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many retailers are part of the Azure Card programme; and what is the total amount spent with each retailer since the card's inception.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2454
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>The Azure card is issued to destitute failed asylum seekers accommodated under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 because they are temporarily unable to leave the United Kingdom.</p><p>The card is updated each week with credit to the value of £35.39 for each person in the household to enable them to buy enough food and other essential items.</p><p>The table below lists the retailers that accept the Azure card and the total amounts spent at each of them since it was introduced. The table includes Peacocks, which no longer participates in the card scheme.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Retailer Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Value (£)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tesco</p></td><td><p>20,660,480.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Asda</p></td><td><p>11,373,929.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sainsbury's</p></td><td><p>5,935,535.81</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Morrisons</p></td><td><p>2,528,626.86</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Boots</p></td><td><p>2,478,849.23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peacock Group</p></td><td><p>333,709.46</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Co-operative Group Food</p></td><td><p>250,074.03</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Food City Halal Market</p></td><td><p>202,813.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mothercare</p></td><td><p>39,947.70</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Iceland Foods</p></td><td><p>38,311.88</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Midlands Co-operative</p></td><td><p>22,172.05</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Salvation Army</p></td><td><p>3,544.40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Red Cross</p></td><td><p>3,380.32</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Masala Bazaar</p></td><td><p>330.55</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Holland and Barrett</p></td><td><p>326.68</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Information and training materials are provided to the retailers about the terms and conditions attached to the card, which are reviewed and updated regularly.</p><p>We are aware of some isolated instances where people have been denied purchases, but in the great majority of cases this is because they had insufficient funds on the card to buy the particular items.</p><p>If there is a defect in the card that means it cannot be used, for example because it has been damaged, arrangements are made to issue vouchers.</p><p> </p><p><br></p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL2455 HL2456 HL2458 question first answered 11/11/2014 17:10:18 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

100999

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why an Azure Card user does not qualify for emergency food vouchers when a technical problem occurs with the card.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2455
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>The Azure card is issued to destitute failed asylum seekers accommodated under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 because they are temporarily unable to leave the United Kingdom.</p><p>The card is updated each week with credit to the value of £35.39 for each person in the household to enable them to buy enough food and other essential items.</p><p>The table below lists the retailers that accept the Azure card and the total amounts spent at each of them since it was introduced. The table includes Peacocks, which no longer participates in the card scheme.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Retailer Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Value (£)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tesco</p></td><td><p>20,660,480.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Asda</p></td><td><p>11,373,929.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sainsbury's</p></td><td><p>5,935,535.81</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Morrisons</p></td><td><p>2,528,626.86</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Boots</p></td><td><p>2,478,849.23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peacock Group</p></td><td><p>333,709.46</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Co-operative Group Food</p></td><td><p>250,074.03</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Food City Halal Market</p></td><td><p>202,813.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mothercare</p></td><td><p>39,947.70</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Iceland Foods</p></td><td><p>38,311.88</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Midlands Co-operative</p></td><td><p>22,172.05</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Salvation Army</p></td><td><p>3,544.40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Red Cross</p></td><td><p>3,380.32</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Masala Bazaar</p></td><td><p>330.55</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Holland and Barrett</p></td><td><p>326.68</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Information and training materials are provided to the retailers about the terms and conditions attached to the card, which are reviewed and updated regularly.</p><p>We are aware of some isolated instances where people have been denied purchases, but in the great majority of cases this is because they had insufficient funds on the card to buy the particular items.</p><p>If there is a defect in the card that means it cannot be used, for example because it has been damaged, arrangements are made to issue vouchers.</p><p> </p><p><br></p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL2454 HL2456 HL2458 question first answered 11/11/2014 17:10:19 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

101000

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what efforts have been made to ensure that staff at retailers who accept the Azure Card are educated about the card’s rules and do not deny card users purchases which they are entitled to make.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2456
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>The Azure card is issued to destitute failed asylum seekers accommodated under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 because they are temporarily unable to leave the United Kingdom.</p><p>The card is updated each week with credit to the value of £35.39 for each person in the household to enable them to buy enough food and other essential items.</p><p>The table below lists the retailers that accept the Azure card and the total amounts spent at each of them since it was introduced. The table includes Peacocks, which no longer participates in the card scheme.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Retailer Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Value (£)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tesco</p></td><td><p>20,660,480.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Asda</p></td><td><p>11,373,929.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sainsbury's</p></td><td><p>5,935,535.81</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Morrisons</p></td><td><p>2,528,626.86</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Boots</p></td><td><p>2,478,849.23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peacock Group</p></td><td><p>333,709.46</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Co-operative Group Food</p></td><td><p>250,074.03</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Food City Halal Market</p></td><td><p>202,813.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mothercare</p></td><td><p>39,947.70</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Iceland Foods</p></td><td><p>38,311.88</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Midlands Co-operative</p></td><td><p>22,172.05</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Salvation Army</p></td><td><p>3,544.40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Red Cross</p></td><td><p>3,380.32</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Masala Bazaar</p></td><td><p>330.55</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Holland and Barrett</p></td><td><p>326.68</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Information and training materials are provided to the retailers about the terms and conditions attached to the card, which are reviewed and updated regularly.</p><p>We are aware of some isolated instances where people have been denied purchases, but in the great majority of cases this is because they had insufficient funds on the card to buy the particular items.</p><p>If there is a defect in the card that means it cannot be used, for example because it has been damaged, arrangements are made to issue vouchers.</p><p> </p><p><br></p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL2454 HL2455 HL2458 question first answered 11/11/2014 17:10:19 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

101001

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have been on support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for a period in excess of (1) six months, (2) one year and (3) five years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2457
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The information requested is shown in the following table:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Length of time people have been on Section 4 support</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Period on support</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number of People</strong></p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>6 to 12 months</p></td><td><p>684</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>1 year to 5 years</p></td><td><p>3013</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>5 years or more</p></td><td><p>698</p></td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 18/11/2014 15:22:06 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

101002

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the statement by Refugee Action that more than 90 per cent of those on support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 regularly missed a meal.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2458
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>The Azure card is issued to destitute failed asylum seekers accommodated under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 because they are temporarily unable to leave the United Kingdom.</p><p>The card is updated each week with credit to the value of £35.39 for each person in the household to enable them to buy enough food and other essential items.</p><p>The table below lists the retailers that accept the Azure card and the total amounts spent at each of them since it was introduced. The table includes Peacocks, which no longer participates in the card scheme.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Retailer Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Value (£)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tesco</p></td><td><p>20,660,480.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Asda</p></td><td><p>11,373,929.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sainsbury's</p></td><td><p>5,935,535.81</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Morrisons</p></td><td><p>2,528,626.86</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Boots</p></td><td><p>2,478,849.23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peacock Group</p></td><td><p>333,709.46</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Co-operative Group Food</p></td><td><p>250,074.03</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Food City Halal Market</p></td><td><p>202,813.59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mothercare</p></td><td><p>39,947.70</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Iceland Foods</p></td><td><p>38,311.88</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Midlands Co-operative</p></td><td><p>22,172.05</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Salvation Army</p></td><td><p>3,544.40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Red Cross</p></td><td><p>3,380.32</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Masala Bazaar</p></td><td><p>330.55</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Holland and Barrett</p></td><td><p>326.68</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Information and training materials are provided to the retailers about the terms and conditions attached to the card, which are reviewed and updated regularly.</p><p>We are aware of some isolated instances where people have been denied purchases, but in the great majority of cases this is because they had insufficient funds on the card to buy the particular items.</p><p>If there is a defect in the card that means it cannot be used, for example because it has been damaged, arrangements are made to issue vouchers.</p><p> </p><p><br></p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL2454 HL2455 HL2456 question first answered 11/11/2014 17:10:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

106185

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people for whom return is not possible have been in receipt of support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for longer than six months.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2656
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>Support is provided in some circumstances to failed asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.</p><p>Although no specific records are kept, only a small number of people seek support because they claim they are permanently unable to leave the UK. Support is provided because there is a temporary legal or practical obstacle to departure, for example because the person is too sick to travel or needs time to apply for the necessary travel document. The number of people who have been on section 4 support for more than 6 months is 4,395.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 18/11/2014 15:20:07 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

106186

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total amount of unspent credit which has been removed from Azure card users as a result of the card's £5 carry-over limit.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2657
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>Approximately £850,000 of credit has not been used since the card was introduced in December 2009 for this reason.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Taylor of Holbeach question first answered 18/11/2014 15:21:09 answering member 3787 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Holbeach
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

1124892

	registered interest
	date	07/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether funding currently dedicated to asylum matters will be ring-fenced following the UK's departure from the EU.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL15567
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>There are currently no plans to apply a ring fence to asylum payments in this financial year.</p><p>Any new restrictions to departmental spending would be agreed with HM Treasury. Any further changes would form part of the Spending Review discussions taking place this year for financial year 2020-21 onwards.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 21/05/2019 15:29:48 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

1145333

	registered interest
	date	06/09/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of applicants for support under section 4(2) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, in the last year for which records are held, were asked to provide further information to support their request, broken down by the reason further information was required.
	tabling member printed	Lord Watson of Invergowrie
	uin	HL17784
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>The information requested would require a manual trawl of records of all service users receiving section 4 support and could only be provided at a dis-proportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 08/10/2019 11:16:37 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	1241 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Invergowrie

1149947

	registered interest
	date	16/10/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use to determine whether an applicant for section 4 asylum support should be considered particularly vulnerable; what is the target timescale for an asylum seeker who is deemed to be vulnerable to receive that support under Home Office guidelines; and what was the average time taken for a payment to be made after an application for support by an applicant that met that criteria in the most recent period for which figures are available.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL154
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2019 answer text <p>The Asylum Seekers (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2005 define a vulnerable person as:</p><ul><li>A minor</li><li>A disabled person</li><li>An elderly person</li><li>A pregnant woman</li><li>A person who has been subjected to torture, rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence;</li><li>A person who has had an individual evaluation of his situation that confirms he/she has special needs.</li></ul><p>Accommodation providers are also contractually required to take account of any particular circumstances and vulnerability of those that they accommodate. The definition of vulnerability in the contracts is the same as the one set out in the 2005 Regulations.</p><p>The particular circumstances of other supported asylum seekers and their dependants who may have other particular vulnerabilities are also carefully considered, for example because they have care needs or health problems that require a need for a specific type of accommodation or accommodation in a particular location. Further details regarding these policies can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-accommodation-requests-policy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-accommodation-requests-policy</a></p><p>We aim to decide most of these applications within 5 working days, or 2 days of the Home Office reviewing the application if the person is vulnerable, but some take longer because of the need to make further enquiries to establish that the person is eligible to receive the support.</p><p>The Home Office monitors closely the performance of asylum support application decision making and has a range of targets for processing support applications depending on the nature of the application being made. However information on processing times is not recorded in a format suitable for publication. We are currently in the process of embedding a new system and reporting tools and once this has been implemented we will review our reporting processes,.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 30/10/2019 17:56:56 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford attachment 1 file name Allocation-Of-Accommodation-v5_0.pdf title Accommodation Requests policy
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1187941

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to suspend all terminations of asylum support temporarily as part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL2955
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2020 answer text <p>Following public health guidance, we have put in place a number of measures to support people in the asylum system who are affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, including working closely with providers to make sure the most vulnerable people within the system receive the support they need.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 08/04/2020 14:02:20 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1189746

	registered interest
	date	21/04/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) increase asylum support rates in line with Universal Credit, and (2) provide further support to asylum seekers to assist with essential living requirements, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL3263
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>We are currently reviewing the level of the cash allowances, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers. There are no plans to increase the level of the cash allowances to Universal Credit levels.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 05/05/2020 16:06:27 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

1189879

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will credit the Aspen cards for asylum seekers with more than one week’s allowance at a time.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hamwee
	uin	HL3390
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/05/2020 answer text <p>We are currently reviewing the level of the cash allowances, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 11/05/2020 11:02:45 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	2652 label Biography information for Baroness Hamwee

1195180

	registered interest
	date	12/05/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 6 May (HL Deb, col 441), when the current review of asylum support commenced; when that review is due to be completed; and whether that review will take additional costs into account, such as those associated with hygiene needs, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL4183
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2020 answer text <p>The current review of the level of the cash allowances began with the publication of the latest Family Spending data by the Office of National Statistics on 19 March, as that data is one of the main sources of information used to assess the appropriate level of the allowances. The review also takes account of research into the actual costs of purchasing essential items and whether Covid 19 has impacted on these costs.</p><p> </p><p>The outcome of the review will be published in due course.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 27/05/2020 15:38:49 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1195232

	registered interest
	date	12/05/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the level of asylum support in line with the COVID-19 related uplift for Universal Credit.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
	uin	HL4235
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2020 answer text <p>We are currently reviewing the level of the cash allowances, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers. The level of the cash allowances is not linked to Universal Credit.</p><p>Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those in the asylum system who are affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and are making adjustments to our processes and procedures where necessary and appropriate</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 27/05/2020 15:25:56 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1196847

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make Wi-Fi available for people living in all forms of asylum accommodation so that they can contact essential mental health support services, currently only offered online, during the COVID-19 pandemic without having to spend any portion of their £37.50 weekly allowance on such data.
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL4558
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>Asylum seekers receiving support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 199 are generally provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover other essential living needs. The level of the cash allowance provided take into account communication needs, including the cost of buying and using a mobile phone. As a result of the Covid-19 crisis a higher proportion of asylum seekers than usual are being accommodated in full-board hostels and hotels. We are looking at practical ways of providing internet access to this group and other ways to enable them to communicate effectively.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 02/06/2020 15:29:32 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

1196872

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 11 May (HL3390), what plans they have to include consideration of extending the current weekly validity of the Aspen card for asylum seekers alongside the quantum in the current review.
	tabling member printed	Lord Stunell
	uin	HL4583
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>The asylum support cash payments are currently made on a weekly basis. There has been some suggestion that these payments should be made fortnightly, and we are currently seeking views on this issue.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently reviewing the level of the cash payments, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers and will announce the outcome as soon as we can.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford grouped question UIN HL4584 question first answered 02/06/2020 15:33:31 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	445 label Biography information for Lord Stunell

1196873

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 11 May (HL3390), on what date the current review into the level of cash allowances for asylum seekers will be published.
	tabling member printed	Lord Stunell
	uin	HL4584
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>The asylum support cash payments are currently made on a weekly basis. There has been some suggestion that these payments should be made fortnightly, and we are currently seeking views on this issue.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently reviewing the level of the cash payments, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers and will announce the outcome as soon as we can.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford grouped question UIN HL4583 question first answered 02/06/2020 15:33:32 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	445 label Biography information for Lord Stunell

1199431

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 27 May (HL4183), whether the outcomes of the review of asylum support will be published by the end of June.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL5030
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>We review the level of financial support provided to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute annually, using a methodology that has been in place since 2014 and which the courts have agreed is rational and lawful. The methodology takes account of the costs of food, clothes, toiletries and other items.</p><p> </p><p>The standard weekly allowance has been raised to £39.60 from £37.75, an increase of around 5%, because the methodology showed this is now the amount the average asylum seeker needs to meet their essential living needs. This increase is considerably higher than current year to year rise in general inflation, which was reported to be 0.8% in April.</p><p> </p><p>This allowance is only one part of the package of support provided. We also provide free accommodation, utilities are paid for, council tax is paid for, and there is free access to the NHS and free education for their children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 16/06/2020 11:21:02 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1202093

	registered interest
	date	09/06/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what (1) financial, and (2) other forms of, support are available to asylum seekers awaiting decisions on their status.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL5484
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>If any asylum seeker would otherwise be destitute they are provided with accommodation and a weekly allowance to cover their essential living needs, although the allowance is not provided if they are accommodated in a full-board facility.</p><p> </p><p>The level of the weekly standard allowance from 15 June 2020 is £39.60. The allowance is also provided to asylum seekers who have adequate accommodation provided by their families or friends but need help to cover their essential living needs. Council tax and utilities are also paid for, and free NHS healthcare and education for their children are provided.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 23/06/2020 16:35:57 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

1202665

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 12 May (HL4183), what proportion of the increase of 26p a day in asylum support is attributable to the additional costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, such as those arising from increased hygiene needs.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL5527
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2020 answer text <p>We review the level of financial support provided to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute annually, using a methodology that has been in place since 2014 and which the courts have agreed is rational and lawful. The methodology takes account of the costs of food, clothes, toiletries and other items.</p><p> </p><p>The standard weekly allowance has been raised to £39.60 from £37.75, an increase of around 5%, because the methodology showed this is now the amount the average asylum seeker needs to meet their essential living needs. This increase is considerably higher than current year to year rise in general inflation, which was reported to be 0.8% in April.</p><p> </p><p>This allowance is only one part of the package of support provided. We also provide free accommodation, utilities are paid for, council tax is paid for, and there is free access to the NHS and free education for their children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 25/06/2020 08:02:51 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1218586

	registered interest
	date	29/06/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the policy to withdraw section 95 support from asylum seekers when they are given temporary accommodation with food.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL6258
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>There has been no change to policy.</p><p>Asylum seekers receiving support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and in dispersed accommodation are generally provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover other essential living needs.</p><p> </p><p>For those in full board section 98 Initial Accommodation, hotels or hostels, essential living expenses are covered and they do not therefore receive a cash allowance. Where section 98 accommodation is self-catered they will receive a cash amount to purchase their own food.</p><p>As a result of the Covid-19 crisis a higher proportion of asylum seekers than usual are being accommodated in full-board hostels and hotels.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 13/07/2020 16:29:00 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

1219454

	registered interest
	date	30/06/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that asylum seekers who have no recourse to public funds can obtain soap and other essentials; and what plans they have, if any, to provide such people with mobile telephones whilst they are in the process of applying for asylum.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL6318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2020 answer text <p>Asylum seekers receiving support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are generally provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover other essential living needs, including hygiene products. For those in section 98 Initial Accommodation and hotel or hostel accommodation, hygiene products are provided to them.</p><p>The level of the cash allowance provided takes into account communication needs, including the cost of buying and using a mobile phone. As a result of the Covid-19 crisis a higher proportion of asylum seekers than usual are being accommodated in full-board hostels and hotels. We are looking at practical ways of providing internet access to this group and other ways to enable them to communicate effectively.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 14/07/2020 16:36:08 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

1219702

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect to complete the annual review of cash allowances paid to asylum seekers by the end of July; and if not, when they expect to complete the review.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL6365
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2020 answer text <p>We have been reviewing the level of the cash allowances provided to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, as we do each year to ensure that they remain capable of meeting their essential living needs (the legal test).</p><p> </p><p>As a result of this work, the standard allowance has been raised to £39.60 per week from £37.75 per week, an increase of around 5%. This increase is significantly higher than the current general rate of inflation, which Office for National Statistics data shows was only 0.5% in the 12 months period to May.</p><p> </p><p>Confirmatory work, including taking account of possible Covid 19 impacts, is ongoing and the result of the full review will be published indue course.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has a generous record in supporting asylum seekers. Last year, we made around 20,000 grants of asylum or protection (one of the higher figures in Europe), as well as offered protection to 3,000 Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children – the highest number of any country in Europe. In addition, we have directly resettled around 20,000 people from the most dangerous areas of the world (especially Syrians) in the UK over the last 5 years. Finally, we spend around £14 billion per year in Overseas Aid, helping millions of people around the world. This is the highest amount of any country in Europe and we are the only G7 country to meet the 0.7% of GNI Overseas Aid target.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 15/07/2020 16:42:48 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1290187

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they introduced the provision of £39.63 in cash support to those seeking asylum in the UK; and what are the eligibility criteria for that payment.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL13714
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2021 answer text <p>Asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute are provided with accommodation and a weekly allowance to cover their other essential living needs.</p><p>The level of the standard allowance is reviewed each year and adjusted where necessary. As a result of this year’s review the allowance has been raised from £37.75 per week to £39.63 per week. The £39.63 rate took effect from 22 February 2021, although an earlier exceptional temporary increase to £39.60 was implemented from 15 June 2020 pending the outcome of the full review.</p><p>The allowance is reduced if the asylum seeker is accommodated in full-board facilities where some of their essential living needs, for example food and toiletries, are provided in kind.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 10/03/2021 17:36:08 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno