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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

1198604

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial support available for people in the asylum system during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
uin	52313
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2020 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.</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%.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 10/06/2020 13:17:35 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

1198705

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 26 May 2020 to Question 47460, when the review into cash allowances for asylum seekers commenced; what evidence or information is being sought; and what the timescale is for the conclusion of that review.
tabling member constituency	East Lothian
tabling member printed	Kenny MacAskill
uin	52514
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2020 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. 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%.</p><p> </p><p>In March 2018, we made public the methodology for calculating the asylum support rates and the underpinning research. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-review-of-cash-allowance-paid-to-asylum-seekers.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 10/06/2020 13:23:35 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4772 label Biography information for Kenny MacAskill

1197460

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons asylum support rates are lower in 2020 than they were in 2002; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	49636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>Asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute are provided with free accommodation (with utility bills and council tax paid) and a weekly cash allowance to meet their other essential living needs (the legal test).</p><p>The current level of the allowance is £37.75 per week for each person in the asylum seeker’s household and is assessed using a methodology adopted in 2014. The methodology has been recognised by the Court of Appeal as rational and lawful. Details of how it works are set out in the reports published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-review-of-cash-allowance-paid-to-asylum-seekers</p><p>The allowances provided in 2002 were generally linked to mainstream benefits provided by the Department of Work and Pensions. The amount provided depended on a variety of factors, including the age of the asylum seeker. Those asylum seekers aged over 25 received a higher rate (£37.77) than those aged between 18-24 (£29.88). From 2009, however, all new asylum seekers were placed on the lower rate previously only applicable to those aged under 25.</p><p>The current asylum support allowances are not linked in any way to mainstream benefit levels.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 02/06/2020 10:11:48 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1197473

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the asylum support rate of £37.75 per week during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Nottingham North
tabling member printed	Alex Norris
uin	49810
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 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 constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 02/06/2020 10:13:09 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4641 label Biography information for Alex Norris

1197560

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2020 to Question 41562 on asylum support, when the review will be concluded; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	49796
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 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.</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%. The increase is significantly higher than the current general rate of inflation, which Office of National Statistics data shows was only 0.8% in the 12 months period to April 2020. Food inflation over the same period was only 1.4% and the data actually shows that, despite Covid-19, food prices fell between March to April 2020. In addition to asylum support payments, asylum seekers are provided with free accommodation, utilities are paid for, council tax is paid for, they have free access to the NHS and their children have free access to education.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 16/06/2020 08:50:17 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1196462

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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to extend its contract for ASPEN cards.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
uin	48509
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office’s contract to provide financial support to asylum seekers through an Aspen Card has been extended until 27 February 2021.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 02/06/2020 07:55:25 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows

1196672

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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the methodology is for (a) calculating changes to asylum support rates and (b) ensuring those rates are sufficient to allow asylum seekers to avoid destitution; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
uin	48570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 answer text <p>A report published in March 2018 sets out the methodology for calculating the asylum support rates and can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-review-of-cash-allowance-paid-to-asylum-seekers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-review-of-cash-allowance-paid-to-asylum-seekers</a>.</p><p>We are currently reviewing the level of the support rate, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 26/05/2020 13:37:56 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

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