There are thousands of children in the UK facing deep, long-term poverty because of strict immigration rules, which mean their families cannot access mainstream benefits or vital support, even in a crisis.
Living in poverty has significant detrimental effects on children’s outcomes, both in childhood and later in life. Living on low income negatively affects children’s school attainment, cognitive and behavioural development, and their physical and mental health, even for short periods of time.
One of the drivers of poverty in modern-day Britain for children in migrant families is the fact that regardless of need or level of income, children, young people and their families are prevented from applying for welfare benefits because of their parents' immigration status or because of conditions placed on their stay in the UK and their ability to settle. These are commonly referred to as ‘no recourse to public funds’ or NRPF conditions.
This report focuses on the experiences of families who have NRPF conditions attached to their leave to remain in the UK and makes a series of recommendations for policy, practice and further research. Among these are an urgent call on government to suspend NRPF conditions, immigration fees and Immigration Health Surcharge so families can access the lifeline of benefits if they need it and can prioritise any savings they have on protecting their children during the Covid-19 outbreak, instead of spending it on Home Office fees.
Key recommendations during Covid19 crisis:
- During the Covid-19 crisis, the government should suspend NRPF policies without further delay so that families can access the lifeline of social security under the same conditions as everyone else. Individuals and families who need support now should not be forced to jump through bureaucratic hoops to get NRPF conditions lifted.
- The Home Office should issue guidance to its staff not to apply the NRPF condition to any new grants of leave to remain.
- The government should suspend immigration fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge on the ten-year route to settlement for at least 12 months so families can prioritise any savings they have on protecting their children during the Covid-19 outbreak, instead of spending it on Home Office fees.
- The government should automatically extend all leave to remain including those on the ten-year route and make this clear in guidance so that those whose leave is expiring during the pandemic care not put at greater risk of losing their jobs and livelihood.
- The government should extend the eligibility under the Domestic Violence Immigration Rule to any migrant survivor of domestic abuse so they can more easily secure a permanent status. The grace period where victims of abuse can temporarily access public funds whilst applying under the Domestic Violence Rule should also be increased from 3 to 6 months.