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<p>The Home Office requires clear standards from our accommodation providers, who
are expected to conduct regular checks across the asylum estate.</p><p>Asylum seekers
who are (a) children, (b) seriously unwell and (c) disabled are priorities for moves
to dispersal accommodation, but it is a contractual requirement all service users
are accommodated in accommodation appropriate to their needs.</p><p>Service Delivery
Managers speak daily with providers about operational delivery and performance. In
response to the global pandemic, officials also have formal weekly meetings to ensure
individuals are housed safely, services are delivered in line with their contractual
obligations and with adherence to guidance from UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
and where appropriate Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC) is followed.</p><p>Asylum
seekers can also raise specific issues or concerns about their accommodation through
the 24/7 Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) service operated via Migrant
Help.</p><p>In addition to the provision of Advice and Guidance services described
in the contracts, Migrant Help’s role includes acting as the main contact point for
all Service User complaints, reports of issues and requests for assistance. Service
Users are able to contact Migrant Help 24/7 by telephone, webchat or email, and there
are strict service level agreements in place to resolving contacts, dependent on issue
type. With regards to complaints specifically, providers are contractually obligated
to respond to Service User complaints within 5 working days of receipt. In the rare
event that this timeframe is not honoured, or where a Service User is dissatisfied
with the response received, the complaint is escalated to the Authority for comprehensive
review and response. Where a complaint is upheld, the information is shared with the
departments Service Delivery Managers for discussion at CMG with the providers to
influence continuous improvement to the service provided. The complaints data is regularly
monitored and analysed to identify trends in issues and feedback which can further
enhance these conversations and maintain standards.</p><p>To further understand Service
Users experience of the service, the department offers a series of customer surveys
in collaboration with the ASC and AIRE providers. The surveys are 100% anonymous,
available 24/7, and provide coverage of both Dispersal Accommodation and Initial Accommodation
estates nationally, including all forms of contingency. The feedback is collated on
a quarterly basis and used to inform improvement activity, with regular review of
associated activity recorded and reviewed at the monthly CMG forums. The Department
and our providers have been actively promoting the surveys across our service users
to ensure awareness and drive response rates, and for Quarter 3 (March – May 2022)
in excess of 8,000 responses were received for the ASC providers alone.</p><p>Within
contingency accommodation, Service Users are provided with three culturally and nutritionally
appropriate meals a day on a menu rotation, which typically includes a continental
breakfast, lunch and evening meals, with a choice of a minimum of one hot and one
cold selection, as well as a vegetarian option. Fresh fruit and other snacks are also
made available to all throughout the day. Babies and small children are also provided
with appropriate foodstuffs and additional provisions on demand. Appropriate options
will be provided for any Service Users with special dietary, cultural or religious
requirements and availability of these specialist provisions are covered within the
contract requirements.</p><p>Northern Ireland does not form part of the asylum dispersal
system currently, however my officials are working with the Northern Ireland Executive
to identify how they can contribute to this UK wide challenge in terms of procuring
sufficient accommodation.</p>
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