I have been contacted by many residents who are concerned about those currently going through the immigration system and asylum seekers needing additional support at this time.
This is a very important issue. The UK has a proud tradition of providing a place of safety for refugees. Each claim for asylum is carefully considered and where it is found that individuals need protection, asylum is given, with the ultimate aim of helping them to return home if it is safe to do so.
Those granted asylum are currently entitled to claim £37.75 per week for each person in their household. This support is intended to be short term until the person or family is able to be moved on to more permanent housing, have access to benefits or gain employment.
The current ‘move on’ period is 28 days, however the Red Cross have commissioned a report calling for that period to be extended to 56 days, in line with the duty by local authorities to support those threatened with homelessness.
The matter was debated in the House of Commons on 4th March 2020, I have copied a link below to that debate:
The Home Office Minister, Chris Phil MP undertook to consider the findings of that report, consider the recent calls to change the current policy and review the evidence available.
I should also mention that fully furnished and equipped accommodation is provided to asylum seekers with no utility bills or Council Tax to pay. Access to healthcare and schooling is free. The Home Office periodically reviews cash payments to ensure they continue to meet essential living needs. As mentioned above, the amount someone claiming asylum support is now £37.75 per week for each person in the household. I am not aware that the Government plans to change this at the current time.
However, a number of measures have been announced to support asylum seekers during this current crisis. People who have received a positive decision on their asylum claim will not be asked to leave their asylum accommodation but are expected to apply for mainstream welfare benefits, however, their asylum support payments will continue until they have received their first benefit payment.
The only likely discontinuations of asylum support for the next 3 months are where the person is found to be no longer destitute or where there has been a serious breach of the relevant regulations. The Home Office expect these cases to be few in number.
You can find other changes to Asylum and Resettlement Policy on the below link:
Mae llawer o breswylwyr wedi cysylltu â mi am eu bod yn pryderu am y rhai hynny sy’n mynd drwy’r system fewnfudo, a cheiswyr lloches sydd angen cymorth ychwanegol ar yr adeg hon.
Mae hwn yn fater pwysig dros ben. Mae gan y DU draddodiad balch o gynnig diogelwch i ffoaduriaid. Mae pob cais am loches yn cael ei ystyried yn ofalus ac os gwelir bod angen ei warchod ar unigolyn, bydd lloches yn cael ei ganiatáu, gyda’r nod yn y pen draw o’u helpu i ddychwelyd adref os bydd yn ddiogel iddynt.
Mae gan y sawl sy’n cael lloches yr hawl i gael £37.75 yr wythnos i bob unigolyn ar yr aelwyd. Bwriedir i’r cymorth hwn fod yn hwb tymor byr nes bydd yr unigolyn neu’r teulu’n gallu symud ymlaen i gartref mwy parhaol, a chael budd-daliadau neu waith.
Mae’r cyfnod ‘symud ymlaen’ cyfredol yn 28 diwrnod. Fodd bynnag, mae’r Groes Goch wedi comisiynu adroddiad sy’n galw am i’r cyfnod gael ei ymestyn i 56 diwrnod, yn unol â’r ddyletswydd ar awdurdodau lleol i helpu’r rhai hynny sydd mewn perygl o fod yn ddigartref.
Roedd y mater yn destun dadl yn Nhŷ’r Cyffredin ar 4 Mawrth 2020, ac rwyf wedi cynnwys dolen i’r ddadl honno, isod:
Addawodd Gweinidog y Swyddfa Gartref, Chris Phil AS y byddai’n ystyried canfyddiadau’r adroddiad, gan ystyried y galwadau diweddar i newid y polisi cyfredol ac adolygu’r dystiolaeth sydd ar gael.
Dylwn nodi hefyd fod llety wedi’i ddodrefnu ac sy’n cynnwys y cyfarpar angenrheidiol, heb filiau cyfleustodau na’r Dreth Gyngor i’w talu, yn cael ei ddarparu i geiswyr lloches. Mae mynediad at ofal iechyd ac addysg ar gael yn ddi-dâl. O bryd i’w gilydd bydd y Swyddfa Gartref yn adolygu taliadau ariannol i sicrhau eu bod yn parhau i ddiwallu anghenion byw sylfaenol. Fel y nodwyd uchod, y swm ar hyn o bryd i rywun sy’n hawlio cymorth lloches yw £37.75 yr wythnos am bob person ar yr aelwyd. Ni wn am ddim cynlluniau gan y Llywodraeth i newid y swm hwn ar hyn o bryd.
Fodd bynnag, cafodd nifer o fesurau eu cyhoeddi i helpu ceiswyr lloches ar yr adeg hon. Ni fydd disgwyl i bobl sydd wedi cael penderfyniad positif ar eu cais am loches adael eu llety lloches ond disgwylir iddynt wneud cais am fudd-daliadau lles prif ffrwd; fodd bynnag bydd eu taliadau cymorth lloches yn parhau nes byddant wedi cael eu taliad budd-dal cyntaf.
Yr unig achosion lle bydd taliadau cymorth lloches yn dod i ben yn y 3 mis nesaf yw lle canfyddir nad yw’r unigolyn bellach yn ddiymgeledd neu lle bu toramod difrifol o’r rheoliadau perthnasol. Mae’r Swyddfa Gartref yn rhagweld y bydd nifer yr achosion hyn yn isel.
Gallwch weld newidiadau eraill i’r Polisi Lloches ac Adsefydlu drwy glicio ar y ddolen isod: