Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 October 2020 to Question 93654 on Immigrants: Coronavirus, what support is available for migrants with no recourse to public funds who are not entitled to contributory based benefits or local authority support and who are waiting for their change of conditions application to be processed.

The Government has acted decisively to ensure that we support everyone through this crisis. We are committed to protecting vulnerable people and are confident that we have measures in place to support those who have no recourse to public funds.

Many of the wide-ranging coronavirus measures we have put in place are not considered public funds and therefore are available to migrants with no recourse to public funds. These range from protections for renters from evictions, a mortgage holiday for those who need it, as well as support for those who are vulnerable and need assistance with access to medication and shopping. Measures also include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, along with statutory sick pay which is open to those with no recourse to public funds.

Those with leave under the Family and Human Rights routes can apply to have the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) restriction lifted by making a ‘change of conditions’ application. This application can be made if a migrant is destitute or at risk of destitution, if the welfare of their child is at risk due to their low income, or where there are other exceptional financial circumstances.

We recognise the important work being undertaken by the voluntary sector and have also allocated £750m funding for charities who are providing vital support to vulnerable people at this difficult time.

Local authorities, who have been allocated more than £4.3 billion to help them respond to Covid-19 pressures across all the services they deliver, may also provide basic safety net support, regardless of immigration status, if it is established that there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution.