Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the daily payment for unaccompanied asylum seeking children was for (a) under 16 and (b) 16-17 year olds in each of the last six financial years.

From 1 October 2010 until 1 July 2016 the funding rate for the majority of local authorities for supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children was £95 per day for a supported child under 16 and £71 per day for a supported child aged 16 or 17. These rates were increased on 1 July 2016 to £114 per day for supported children under 16 and £91 for supported children aged 16 and 17. Enhanced levels of funding have been provided to a small number of ”Gateway” local authorities, in recognition of the large numbers of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in their care. The most recent funding instructions can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-uasc-grant-instructions