Immigration Solicitors

The Children’s Society has said the government’s freeze on welfare benefits is pushing the children of asylum seekers in the UK into poverty.

Online publisher Children & Young People Now (CYPNow) reports that research by The Children’s Society suggests that as many as 10,000 children from families seeking asylum in the UK are living in poverty.

The Children’s Society report From Persecution to Destitution says that welfare benefits for asylum seekers are pegged at 2011 levels, which represents a reduction of 7.5% in benefits for asylum seekers in the UK.

Asylum seekers may be given as little as £36 per week to live off – half the amount received by UK nationals and EU nationals in the UK.

Most asylum seekers in the UK do not have the right to work and are unable to support themselves adequately on State handouts.

The Children’s Society is calling fro a rise in benefits for asylum seekers to at least 70% of current State welfare benefits. The society also wants the government to increase welfare benefits for asylum seekers in line with the annual rate of inflation, with a yearly increase.

The charity says that families seeking asylum in the UK who have children aged 16 and 17 are the worst hit because they receive £13.16 a week less in benefit than families with children under 16.

Chief executive of The Children’s Society Matthew Reed told CYPNow:

“The UK is pushing children seeking safety from violence and persecution into poverty – instead of giving them and their families the help they need, they are being forced to live on shockingly low levels of support.

“Many are unable even to afford the most basic necessities for their children.

“The government has a chance to change this and make sure that all refugee children have what they need for a decent start in life. It is critical that the government does not miss this opportunity.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said:

“Asylum seekers are provided with an essential living allowance and free accommodation – are exempt from paying utility bills and Council Tax, and have access to free healthcare and schooling.

“We periodically review allowance payments to ensure they continue to meet essential living needs.

“We have taken account of the court’s findings and the results of our latest reassessment will be announced very shortly.”

In April, Mr Justice Popplewell sitting in the High Court criticised the Home Secretary Theresa May’s policy on support for asylum seekers.

“In my judgment, the information used by the Secretary of State to set the rate of asylum support was simply insufficient to reach a rational decision to freeze rates,” he said.

The government is due to reassess the support given to asylum seekers in the UK by a deadline set at 9 August.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Solicitors

Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors can advise migrants and asylum seekers on a wide range of immigration matters, including:

• Access to Legal Aid for migrants
• Asylum and asylum appeals
• Benefits for migrants
• British citizenship
• Childcare law
• Detention and deportation
• Illegal entry to the UK
• International marriage and divorce
• Marriage in the UK
• Right to work in the UK
• Spouse visas
• Student visas
• Visa overstays.

For expert legal advice on immigration and asylum in the UK, contact Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

For urgent help with UK immigration law – including detention pending deportation – call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036, where a Duncan Lewis specialist immigration lawyer is available 24/7.