To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish an impact assessment of the reduced standard rate of asylum cash support due to take effect from 10 August 2015; and if she will make an assessment of the effects of that reduction on (a) single parents and their children, (b) families with children and (c) other people seeking asylum.
Answered on
7 September 2015
Asylum seekers who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their essential living needs. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review.
The most recent review showed that the asylum support payments provided to larger household groups comfortably exceeded what is necessary to meet their essential living needs. In conducting the review, due regard was given the Public Sector Equality Duty and the assessment was that the reduced payments were still sufficient to meet those needs.
The adequacy of the payment rates will be kept under review through the annual review cycle and in line with the statutory test to ensure that the right level of support is provided to asylum seekers and their families.