PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(12 November 2024)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of (a) asylum seekers and (b) undocumented migrants were eligible for support under (i) Section (A) 95 and (B) 98 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and (ii) Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 in each of the last ten years; and if she will make an estimate of the total cost to the public purse of that support in the same period.

Asked by:
Rupert Lowe (Restore Britain)

As has long been the case. the Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide accommodation support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute before their claim is decided and those without a valid claim can be removed. By clearing the backlog and increasing removals of those with no right to stay, we can end the use of asylum hotels.

Data on the number of asylum seekers in receipt of support, can be found within the Asy_D09 tab for our most recent stats release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab) (opens in a new tab).

The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at HO annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab).

The Home Office does not have, and therefore cannot discharge, duties under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989. It is for the local authority where an unaccompanied child is located to consider its duties under the Children’s Act 1989.

Answered by:
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