Data reveals exponential increase in migrant families with no access to welfare safety net forced into destitution

A new Home Office data release has revealed an exponential increase in applications to have the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition lifted during the coronavirus pandemic.

In the second quarter of 2020 (from April to June) there were 5,665 applications to have the NRPF condition lifted, compared to 914 in the same period last year – an increase of 519.8%. The figure represents an 572% increase on the first quarter of 2020 (843 applications).

This increase reflects reports from charities and sector experts that thousands of No Recourse families are facing destitution during the coronavirus pandemic.

The data release also revealed that it took the Home Office an average of 30 days to decide on these applications – for which the requirement is destitution, imminent risk of destitution, or where there are particularly compelling reasons relating to the welfare of a child - in this period.

The proportion of people successful in their application – 89% - was the highest since records were made available in 2017, reflecting the high numbers in abject poverty.

The data was published after the Rt Hon. Stephen Timms MP raised concerns with the UK Statistics Authority about the lack of meaningful response from the Home Office to MPs’ Parliamentary Questions on the policy. In response, the UK Statistics Authority criticised the Home Office for giving “confusing and unclear” reasons for refusing to reveal how many migrants have the condition.

Daniel Shaw, the Home Office Head of Profession for Statistics for the Home Office recognised in his response that: ‘There is a clear public interest in NRPF with regards to the numbers of individuals where the policy has prevented access to public funds if this subsequently were to give rise to hardship.’

Rt Hon. Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, commented: ‘This data puts into stark relief what we already know – that during the pandemic thousands of families without a safety net are being forced into destitution. This is an exceptional situation which demands an exceptional response. The NRPF condition must be lifted for the duration of the pandemic.’

During the pandemic, those with NRPF - which bars migrants from accessing ‘public funds’ – most mainstream benefits and welfare support - have faced particular hardship. Many are unable to access the Job Retention and Self Employment Schemes: they have been made redundant, have been working in the cash economy, or have significantly reduced hours or income. They are barred from accessing social security, so have no safety net. Many have been forced to disobey public health guidance in to obtain an income. Many are struggling to pay rent and bills, and are force to access foodbanks in order to provide for their families.

Stephen urges Ministers to reconsider its decision to suspend free travel for under-18s

Stephen has written to the Minister for Transport, Grant Shapps MP, to ask the Government to reconsider suspending free travel in London for under 18-year olds.

The public have been encouraged to find alternative methods to public transport due to Covid-19. Furthermore, social distancing rules have lowered the capacity of public transport by 15-20% of normal levels. Consequently, Transport for London’s finances have been forced into a precarious position. Fare income, the main source of its revenue, have fallen by 90% during lockdown.

On 14 May, it was announced that Transport for London and the Department for Transport have agreed a £1.6bn lockdown bailout. One of the conditions is to suspend the subsidy which provides free travel for under-18s. The cited reason for this decision is “demand management” due to the social distancing rules.

This policy will disproportionately impact poorer children. Given that over half of children in Newham are living in poverty, this will undoubtedly impact East Ham significantly. Stephen noted that “the Children’s Commissioner for England has already spoken of her fears that this could become “a lost generation” of children, yet the Government are pursuing policies which directly impact the poorest most. Although I understand the necessity for demand management, I believe that alternative policies can be implemented that won’t have a detrimental impact on the most vulnerable in our society. ”

Stephen’s letter calls on the Transport Secretary to examine different policies which could result in the reduced demand objective. You can read the letter here.

Stephen presses Home Secretary for action on Toeic and No Recourse to Public Funds

In a statement today 21 July, on progress following the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, Stephen questioned Home Secretary Priti Patel about the Toeic English language testing scandal and those forced into destitution by the No Recourse to Public Funds policy.

Stephen commented afterwards: ‘I welcome the Home Secretary’s commitment to act on the recommendations of the Windrush report and review the hostile environment policy. However, I was disappointed by her response to my question. This commitment will be superficial without swift action on policy failures.

In 2014, the Home Office falsely accused thousands of international students of cheating on the ‘Toeic’ English language test. Over 30,000 students had their visas cancelled and were thrown off their courses, with no chance to appeal. Some were detained and deported. They are not permitted to study or work in the UK, and the lives of many have been ruined. The Home Secretary continues to suggest I raise individual cases with ministers. But this is not an issue with individual cases of wrong, but a systemic injustice which needs a policy solution.

Today the Home Secretary also expressed her commitment to open up the Home Office to scrutiny. I agree with her that policy and decision-making must be ‘vigorously examined’. I hope the Home Office will therefore now release the data on No Recourse to Public Funds that I and other MPs have been asking for for months.’

Launch of new research on partnerships between faith groups and local authorities

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Faith and Society is charting the changing relationships between local authorities and faith groups in responding to the impacts of coronavirus through a research project being undertaken by the Faiths & Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London.

During the coronavirus pandemic, local authorities seem to have turned to – and indeed relied on – churches and faith groups in new ways. In some cases this builds upon pre-existing relationships. In others it perhaps reflects a new openness to collaboration, in contrast to previous hesitance to work with faith groups.

Photograph: Lakmini Shah

Chair of the All-Party Group for Faith and Society, Stephen Timms MP said: “Since 2012, the APPG has been encouraging collaboration between local councils and faith groups, and working to overcome the mistrust which can sometimes mark their relationships. And now, with the crisis engulfing everyone, it finally seems to be happening. Faith groups have a key role at the heart of communities up and down the country, and the pandemic seems to be highlighting just how significant a contribution they make to our society.

“Many Councils have turned to churches, and to other faith groups, to help, particularly to provide food to people who would otherwise go without. The anecdotal evidence suggests these partnerships have suddenly become very widespread and are playing a crucial role in getting vital help to families. This report will shine a light on them.”

Professor Chris Baker, Director of the Faith and Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London said: “It is likely that our society will look very different in the future and faith groups will have a critical role which is why this piece of research is so important.

“We hope to provide a set of recommendations that will inform the development of new collaborations – whilst enhancing the effectiveness of existing ones – reflecting the importance of these relationships in the months and years to come.”

The study will be led by Professors Adam Dinham and Chris Baker of Goldsmiths, University of London. Through a large scale survey of local authority leaders, together with interviews with local authority and faith group representatives, the research will explore the extent and nature of new relationships between local authorities and faith groups. In addition, it will investigate how and why these relationships have come about, how they have worked in practice, and what their implications might be for local authorities, communities, and faith groups themselves.

The final report will be published in October and will recommend ways in which local authorities and faith based organisations can continue to work together effectively in the future.

The research is being made possible by funding from the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, and the project is being supported by the Trussell Trust and the Good Faith Partnership.

Note to editors:

• The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Faith and Society was launched in 2012 with FaithAction acting as the Secretariat. The APPG’s aims are to highlight the contribution to society by faith-based organisations, to identify best practice, and to promote understanding of the groups providing innovative solutions around the country.

• The Trussell Trust supports a UK-wide network of 1,200 food bank centres and together they provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.

• The Good Faith Partnership is a social consultancy that helps different sectors work better together on common aims. They have worked extensively on issues of collaboration between faith-based organisations and secular groups, including a recent report with the think tank Demos.  

• The Faiths and Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London is a centre of excellence, linking research, policy and practice in the field of faith-based social action in the UK, Europe, North America and Australia.

Stephen urges government to support theatre industry

Stephen has written to the Chancellor pressing the Government to put in place urgent measures to support the theatre industry during the Covid-19 crisis.

The creative sector has undoubtedly been one of the hardest hit by Covid-19. Due to the difficulty of operating in line with social distancing measures, the performing arts sector will be one of the last to fully reopen and thousands in East Ham and beyond now face unemployment. This also has implications for local businesses, such as bars, restaurants and hotels, who rely on theatre-goers to keep their doors open.

At the start of July, Stephen wrote to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, highlighting the impact Covid-19 has had on the arts and the sector’s desperate need of Government support. He asked for urgent supportive measures to be put in place. You can read the full letter here.

A few days later, on 5 July, the Government finally announced a support package of £1.57 billion for the arts. However, several believe this has been implemented too late, as many theatres have already announced redundancies. Many also argue that the funding is simply not enough to support an industry which, in 2018, contributed £111.7 billion to the UK economy.

Speaking after the Government’s announcement, Stephen said “whilst I warmly welcome the funding package for the arts sector, I fear it will not be enough to save the hundreds of theatres, venues and galleries who claim to be on the brink of collapse. The Government must provide assurance that the theatre industry can reopen as soon as possible and put in place additional support for this important sector.”

You can read the letter here.

Stephen argues: access to public funds for victims of domestic abuse

In the Third Reading of the Domestic Abuse Bill on 6 July 2020, Stephen spoke in favour of New Clause 22, an amendment which would have ensured all victims - regardless of immigration status - get the vital support and services they need to escape abuse.

Currently, the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) restriction severely hinders their ability of victims to access life-saving refuge, support and other welfare. Research by Women’s Aid has found that only 5.8% of refuge vacancies in England in 2018-19 could accept a woman with No Recourse to Public Funds.

MPs voted against New Clause 22 by 330 to 207 votes.

Stephen attends climate change mass lobby

Stephen has joined a group of constituents who had organised to meet him as part of the Climate Coalition’s ‘The Time is Now’ mass lobby which calls for a green economic recovery from Coronavirus.

Across the country, hundreds of people met virtually with their Members of Parliament to draw attention to this important issue. East Ham residents brought their questions and ideas about renewable energy, recycling and environmental education.

Speaking to the residents, Stephen said: “I welcome the Climate Coalition’s mass lobby, because the more people that are speaking out about the importance of looking after the planet, the better our future will be. The Coronavirus pandemic has certainly led to policy decisions that we would previously have thought to be impossible becoming possible. I hope we can learn from this to ensure that the economic recovery the country now faces is low-carbon, high growth and ensures the protection of the environment.”

Newham MPs call for action amidst cladding delays

Stephen has signed a letter with West Ham MP, Lyn Brown, to the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick expressing their concerns about ongoing cladding issues in the borough.

The letter was written in response to a recent finding that around 2,000 buildings remain covered with flammable cladding, three years on from Grenfell. Both MPs highlight that Newham has many buildings that are deemed “high risk”, before voicing their residents’ frustration at the “slow pace of government support”.

Stephen and Lyn pointed to a worrying situation at Lumiere Building in Forest Gate: “A report previously found that five different types of cladding used on its exterior — including Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) — did not conform to building regulations. “It will cost around £30,000 per leaseholder for the removal and replacement of the cladding. A planning application has been made for the remedial works, but this has been delayed due to Covid-19.”

Such delays could prove fatal, as evidenced by the recent fire at Ferrier Point in Canning Town, in which 100 people were evacuated.

The MPs have asked the Housing Secretary for a meeting to discuss these issues, without delay.

To read the letter, click here.

Stephen asks Prime Minister to raise legacy benefit levels

At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday 1 July, Stephen asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson to raise levels of 'legacy' benefits to match Universal Credit.

Levels of Universal Credit were raised at the start of the coronavirus crisis but the older legacy benefits have not been raised to match.

Last week, in a report on DWP’s response to the crisis, the cross-party Work and Pensions Select Committee unanimously recommended they be increased.

Stephen said: “The Government – rightly – increased Universal Credit at the start of the crisis. It’s now time to redress the imbalance and increase legacy benefits too. People shouldn't get less help just because they haven't been moved to Universal Credit yet.”

Stephen supports Crisis 'Home For All' campaign

On Tuesday 30 June, Stephen attended the launch of Crisis’ campaign launch ‘Home For All’, which is calling on the Government to ensure no-one is left without a safe & secure home as COVID-19 emergency measures ease.

The event heard from APPG for Homelessness Chair Bob Blackman MP, Crisis CEO Jon Sparkes, frontline organisations and those with lived experience of homelessness.

Speakers highlighted the current watershed moment for the Government’s aim to end rough sleeping. More broadly, they urged the suspension of the No Recourse to Public Funds restriction, and the need to build more social homes.

Stephen commented afterwards: ‘I was delighted to join the Crisis launch.  We saw a remarkable effort from local authorities at the start of the coronavirus crisis to house rough sleepers.  Now we are at a critical juncture.  The Government has announced it wants to end homelessness. I support Crisis’ call for the Government to bring forward emergency legislation to ensure everyone a safe and secure home in this pandemic. The government should invest in social rented homes, and suspend the No Recourse to Public Funds restriction – which forces people into destitution and homelessness.’

Stephen attends National Prayer Breakfast

On Thursday, Stephen attended the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast.

Each year, 700 parliamentarians and church leaders gather in Westminster to pray for the country, at an annual breakfast held by Christians in Parliament. The event is an opportunity to celebrate the church’s contribution to local communities and to recognise the role that Christian faith plays in the life of our nation.

Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the event was held online this year, which meant many more were able to join. Over 3,000 people gathered virtually in their homes to pray for the ongoing pandemic, our leaders as they navigate the country during this time, and the vulnerable in our society who have been most affected.

At the breakfast, both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition expressed their gratitude to faith groups who are generously serving their communities, and Bishop Graham gave a powerful message on the vital initiatives being taken by churches in the face of recent events, including Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement. Musicians also came together to sing Amazing Grace – a hymn that has become a symbol of hope and peace during the pandemic.

Speaking afterwards, Stephen said “I was delighted to see such a huge interest in the breakfast and am pleased that the difficult decision to move the event online this year meant that thousands more were able to join in with the prayers and worship. This certainly reflects the gratitude towards churches during this time, as they serve in all varieties of ways.”

Stephen asks Urgent Question on Universal Credit rules court case

On Thursday 25th June, Stephen brought an Urgent Question following a Court of Appeal judgement on Monday which found Universal Credit rules 'irrational' and the DWP's failure to fix the issue "unlawful".

In January 2019, the High Court ruled in favour of four women who argued that the Universal Credit regulations did not take into account the fact that pay dates for monthly salaries can fluctuate (due to weekends or bank holidays).

The Universal Credit assessment period runs from the last day of each month to the penultimate day of the following month. Therefore, if an employee is paid a day earlier, they are judged to have earned double in one month and nothing in the next month, meaning their benefits can fluctuate severely. The women involved in the case reported being in rent arrears, being unable to pay council tax, and having to use foodbanks.

Yesterday, the Court of Appeal dismissed the Department of Work and Pensions' (DWP) attempt to overturn the High Court's ruling, with Lord Justice Underhill saying that the issue has had a "severely harmful impact".  

Today, Stephen asked the Work and Pensions Secretary for a statement on the Department's response to this verdict. Stephen said the situation had left claimants' income "severely disrupted". Although he was "grateful" that the DWP was not planning to appeal the ruling and had "accepted the inevitable", they should've "given up the fight" last year. He also asked for an estimate of the number of people affected, and questioned the Minister on when the Universal Credit computer system would be fixed.

Stephen urges Ministers to mitigate funding shortfall in Higher Education

Stephen has joined academic associations from across the country in calling on the government to support a new deal for higher education.

The group, led by the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies, wrote to Education Ministers last week. They pointed out that the sharp drop in universities’ income - as a result of a fall in student numbers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic - will endanger the ability of the UK Higher Education sector to maintain excellence in education and research.

The associations called the current government funding model “inadequate” and said rather than providing a one-time bailout, public spending on colleges and universities needs to be increased to be in line with the 34 countries which make up the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Even before the pandemic nearly 25 percent of all UK universities were in deficit and are announcing job cuts and even cuts to the range of courses and subjects being offered.

Speaking to the Newham Recorder, Stephen said: “A recent report by London Economics for the University and College Union showed that coronavirus and ensuing recession will likely lead to 111,000 fewer UK and 121,000 fewer international first-year students attending UK universities this year, resulting in a £2.5bn funding black hole. This would be disastrous.

“Without Government intervention, an estimated 30,000 university jobs are at risk, with a further 32,000 jobs under threat throughout the wider economy.” He added that UK universities need to be valued as part of the frontline response to the pandemic since they supply students to the NHS and conduct research into the virus.

A Department for Education spokesperson said it has introduced a package of measures to stabilise the admissions system and ease pressure on universities’ finances.

Raise the rates of legacy benefits to support people hit hard by coronavirus pandemic, not just Universal Credit, says the Work and Pensions Select Committee

The Work and Pensions Committee, which Stephen chairs, has today published its report on DWP’s response to coronavirus outbreak. The report praises the work of DWP’s frontline staff, but calls the Government to raise rate of so-called legacy benefits, and suspend the No recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition for the duration of the crisis on public health grounds.

The Committee report finds that the pandemic has left huge numbers of people struggling to cover the costs of essentials, with some disabled people in particular hit hard by increased costs of care and rising food prices. It argues that rates of older benefits must be raised by an equivalent amount to the rise in UC, backdated to April, to provide help for millions of people who are struggling to meet the extra inescapable costs imposed by the pandemic.

The report also calls for the immediate suspension of the NRPF condition that prevents an estimated million people who live and work in the UK legally from claiming benefits and receiving access to financial support because of their immigration status. The Committee argues that during a pandemic it cannot be in the public interest to expect people, some of whom are key workers and front-line medical staff, to comply fully with restrictive public health guidance while simultaneously denying them full access to the welfare safety net.

Stephen praised the hard work of the DWP’s frontline staff, saying that without this “the impact of the pandemic could have been much worse”.

He commented: “But the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted weaknesses in a social security system which at times is too inflexible and slow to adapt to support people in times of crisis. The focus has mostly been on the unprecedented numbers of new claims for Universal Credit. But in the background, people on legacy benefits—including disabled people, carers and people with young families—have slipped down the list of priorities. It’s now time for the Government to redress that balance and increase legacy benefits too. It’s simply not right for people to miss out on support just because they happen, through no fault of their own, to be claiming the ‘wrong’ kind of benefit.

“At the same time, people whose immigration status leaves them with no recourse to public funds have been left with no support from the benefits system at all—and at risk of destitution and homelessness. Some have had to face the invidious choice between staying at home and facing financial ruin, for themselves and their children, or going to work and risking spreading the disease. The Government must suspend these rules for the duration of the pandemic.”

Stephen questions Foreign Secretary on FCO-DFID merger

In an Urgent Question on 18 June, Stephen questioned Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab about the proposed merger of the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development.

Stephen highlighted the consensus across the House about the importance of international development since the Jubilee 2000 campaign. He argued for the profound difference between focusing on doing good in the world—tackling poverty and dealing with the climate crisis—and ‘our own national interests’.

Stephen commented: ‘I deeply regret the Government decision to downgrade International Development last week. The churches were largely responsible for delivering the consensus around it twenty years ago. Ending that consensus makes Britain weaker.’

Stephen speaks in debate on the impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities

In a debate in the House of Commons on Thursday 18 June, Stephen spoke in a debate brought by Dawn Butler on the impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities, arguing for the "No Recourse to Public Funds" (NRPF) restriction to be suspended.

Stephen noted that the Public Health England report released last week highlighted that "people of BAME groups are also more likely than people of white British ethnicity to be born abroad, which means they may face additional barriers in accessing services”. He highlighted the NRPF restrictions on leave to remain as a particular barrier.

The restriction applies to over a million migrants with leave to remain and legally working in the UK - many with children born in the UK, who might be British nationals - from accessing Universal Credit and most benefits.

Stephen said: ‘The welfare safety net is not there for people with no recourse to public funds. That has created a very serious problem of destitution and a huge increase in food bank demand in many parts of the country. The no recourse to public funds restriction must be suspended for the duration of this crisis.’

Stephen paid tribute to organisations in East Ham who are helping, including the Bonny Downs Baptist church and the Bonny Downs Community Association; the Masjid Ibrahim mosque; the Malayalee Association of the UK; the London Tamil Sangam; and Councillor Lakmini Shah.

Stephen presses Boris Johnson on support for those with No Recourse to Public Funds

In Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday 17 June, Stephen questioned Prime Minister Boris Johnson on his previous commitment at the Liaison Committee to support those with No Recourse to Public Funds.

Stephen pressed Boris Johnson to suspend the restriction for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak and ensure families with NRPF can access the free school meal vouchers over the summer.

Stephen commented afterwards: ‘The Prime Minister should keep his promise at the Liaison Committee to support those with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). Many can't get any help at all. And he needs to make good on his comment that all families with NRPF can claim Free School Meals over the summer.’

Stephen speaks to Dersingham Primary School pupils about Internet Safety

On Thursday, Stephen took part in a virtual assembly at Dersingham Primary School.

The interactive assembly was run by Google and Parent Zone helped the children to become ‘internet legends’. The initiative is part of a wider campaign which offers primary school teachers free training and resources about Digital Wellbeing. The pupils heard how crucial it is to be sharp about what they share online, be alert to dangerous sites, keep their personal information secure, and be kind to other people on the internet.

Speaking to the children, Stephen said: “The internet is very exciting, and offers a lot of opportunities to learn about all sorts of things. That is why it is so important to make sure that we use it safely, so that we can make the most of it.”

Stephen calls on the Government to fund free school meals

Stephen has written to the Secretary of State for Education demanding he reverses his decision to withdraw funding for free school meals over the summer holidays as part of Labour’s ‘Holiday without Hunger’ campaign.

Many children are at risk of going hungry this summer as the government withdraws support for the provision of free school meals. With the added pressure of the coronavirus crisis plunging families into deeper poverty and social distancing and added pressures raising questions on whether holiday lunch schemes may run, many families are rightly concerned about how they will afford food during the summer holidays.

Stephen said: ‘’Children are at a heightened risk of going hungry this summer as the Covid-19 crisis hits family incomes and charities and food banks struggle to provide the same level of holiday support. There is a simple solution to this, and that is for the government to continue funding free school meals throughout the summer holidays. Their refusal to do so is a deeply callous move. That is why I have written to the Secretary of State today to ask him to reverse his decision as part of Labour’s ‘Holiday without Hunger’ campaign.’’

Stephen asks Ministers to consider including Black History in National Curriculum

Stephen has written to the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, asking if Ministers are looking at including Black history in the National Curriculum.

In recent weeks, Stephen has been contacted by a number of his constituents who have raised concerns about events of the last few weeks which have disproportionately affected Black people in the UK. They are troubled that the national curriculum excludes Black histories and omits the contributions Black people have made to the UK.

There have been numerous calls over the years to reform the national curriculum to incorporate Black histories, but that these requests have been denied.

You can read Stephen’s letter here.