Figure 22: Have you taken any of the following steps for people with NRPF who you are supporting under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 or the Care Act 2014?

Local Authority Responses to people with NRPF during the 52 pandemic

Only a small number of local authorities reported providing additional support to people with NRPF who were being supported under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 or the Care Act 2014 (see Figure 22). Although four local authorities reported that they had provided increased subsistence, two of those had simply increased their subsistence rates by 26p a day in line with the minimal increase to asylum-support rates announced by the government on 8th June 2020. A large number of respondents were unsure whether their local authorities were providing additional support and one local authority in the North West stated that it was not supporting any families with NRPF under Section 17. Concerningly, one respondent answered:

“The Council does not have duties under s17”

Manager in a local authority in North West England

This lack of understanding of statutory duties extended to the Care Act 2014, with the same respondent also claiming that their council had no duties to people with NRPF with care needs.

Figure 22: Have you taken any of the following steps for people with NRPF who you are supporting under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 or the Care Act 2014?

In terms of support provided to those with NRPF accommodated under ‘Everyone In’, a high number of local authorities reported providing food and referring individuals to organisations that provide immigration advice. A smaller number of respondents said their local authority had provided substance misuse support, mental health support and internet access. In addition, one local authority in the North West of England described individuals who had been accommodated being given basic prepaid mobile phones so contact could be maintained.