LGA calls for temporary removal of the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition during the coronavirus crisis

Change needed to help reduce public health risks and pressures on homelessness services by enabling vulnerable people to access welfare benefits

The Local Government Association (LGA) has today called for the temporary removal of the 'no recourse to public funds' (NRPF) condition during the coronavirus crisis.

With high numbers of people with NRPF - imposed on grants of limited immigration leave with the effect of prohibiting people from accessing certain defined public funds including many welfare benefits and housing and homelessness assistance - approaching councils for support during the COVID-19 pandemic, the LGA highlights that -

'... councils have been given emergency funding to meet a range of cost pressures arising, including supporting people with NRPF. However, this funding will not cover the costs of preventing people with NRPF who were sleeping rough from returning to the streets.

Councils also do not receive any specific funding from central government to support people with NRPF. Latest data for 2018/19 showed that 59 councils were spending £47.5 million a year on NRPF service provision, however this was before the coronavirus crisis.'

While councils have been working to ensure that the overwhelming majority of rough sleepers and people in high-risk accommodation have been found emergency accommodation to protect them during the coronavirus outbreak, and are planning for how people can be supported to move on after the current 'Everyone In' policy comes to an end, the LGA says that, for that to happen, greater clarity is needed from the government on what additional practical support will be available to councils.

In particular, in relation to NRPF, the LGA says that -

'... suspending [the policy] would also allow councils to support this group of people directly into accommodation using the rough sleeping funding recently allocated by government, which legally cannot be used to support people with NRPF, and to enable them to protect the public health of everyone in the community during future outbreaks.'

Cllr David Renard, the LGA’s housing spokesperson said today -

'Councils have been doing everything they can to support all groups facing homelessness and help protect them from coronavirus. Councils are now planning their next steps in supporting people to move on from emergency accommodation. This needs to include clarity and funding for those who are destitute and homeless because of their migration status.

As the economy recovers, local outbreaks may mean there still may be a need to be able to access safe and suitable accommodation and financial support to allow for self-isolation, particularly for single adults without care needs who are not usually eligible for social services’ support.

This could be enabled by a temporary removal of the NRPF condition which would reduce public health risks and pressures on homelessness services by enabling vulnerable people to access welfare benefits.'

For more information, see Councils call for suspension of No Recourse to Public Funds during COVID-19 crisis.