Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the Race Disparity Unit has made of the effect of the No Recourse to Public Funds condition applied to the immigration status of people working lawfully in the UK during the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will make a statement.

The Government remains committed to protecting vulnerable people and has acted decisively to ensure we support everyone through this pandemic, including those lawfully working migrants with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition.

Many of the wide-ranging COVID-19 measures the Government has put in place have been made available to migrants with NRPF. The assistance being given under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-employed Income Support Scheme are not classed as public funds and are available to all those in work or self-employment respectively, including those with NRPF status and those on zero-hour contracts.  Both schemes have been extended to end of September 2021.

Support is also available from local authorities for those with NRPF in England, in the form of a payment comparable to the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme, which provides a £500 payment to people on low incomes who cannot work from home and have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, provided they meet the criteria set by the local authority for discretionary payments in their area. Further information on this scheme can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme

Migrants who rent will continue to be protected from eviction during the new national lockdown period. The Government has extended existing legislation to ensure bailiffs do not serve eviction notices or carry out evictions until at least the end of 31 May but there are exemptions for the most serious circumstances that present the most strain on landlords.

Migrants who have been granted leave on the basis of their family life / human rights can apply to have the NRPF condition on their stay lifted by making a ‘change of conditions’ application.  For these routes, the NRPF condition can be lifted where there is evidence that the applicant is destitute (or at risk of destitution), the welfare of their child is at risk due to their low income, or there are other exceptional financial circumstances.

We have also temporarily extended the eligibility criteria for free school meals in England to support some families with NRPF, in recognition of the difficulties they may be facing during these unique circumstances. More information, including eligibility details can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance.

More information on the support available to migrants during the pandemic, including those with NRPF, can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-get-support-if-youre-a-migrant-living-in-the-uk.