Asylum: English Language

(asked on 8th February 2018) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Minister for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have access to 10 hours a week of free classes in English as a second language.


Answered by
Caroline Nokes Portrait
Caroline Nokes
This question was answered on 21st February 2018

The Home Office recognises the importance of English language for refugee integration. Refugees are able to access English language classes through the Department for Education’s Adult Education Budget, in the same way as someone from the UK. An additional £10m was provided to provide more English language classes for refugees resettled under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

Not all those who make their own way to the UK to seek asylum will be found to be refugees and nearly all will have travelled through other safe countries to get to the UK. This is why support towards integration is offered only when asylum seekers are granted refugee status.

The Home Office does not fund English classes for asylum seekers. Asylum seekers aged 19 or over become eligible for a 50% contribution to the costs of English language classes through the Adult Education Budget, when they have been legally in the UK for longer than six months and are awaiting a decision on their asylum claim or have failed in their claim but have been granted support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. No data is held nationally on the numbers of asylum seekers accessing free English classes. Those learning English as a second language, including asylum seekers and refugees, are individuals with different starting points of English language proficiency who will learn English at different rates, meaning the number of teaching hours to progress English language capability will vary considerably.

The level of English required to enable refugee integration will also vary by individual, however, the Home Office considers ESOL entry level three to be the standard to aim for, as employment opportunities are greater for those with this level of English language capability.

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