Resources and tools for anyone advising a person who has no recourse to public funds about support options
The No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) Network last week launched a new and updated website.
You can access the website here.
The NRPF Network is a national network safeguarding the welfare of destitute families, adults and care leavers who are unable to access benefits due to their immigration status. The Network is hosted by Islington Council and has a membership of over 5,000 people representing local government, the voluntary sector, central government, the police and the NHS
Upon the launch of the new website, the NRPF Network explained: "We have refreshed the aims and objectives of the Network with our Steering Group, and, as a result, primarily intend for our website to provide councils with essential information about the rights and entitlements of people with no recourse to public funds, best practice guidance, and the work that local government is doing to deliver 'safety net' support in a cost-effective manner."
The Network says it has never been more necessary to ensure that people living in the UK without access to mainstream benefits are able to understand their rights and entitlements. The new website's rights and entitlements section provides information about how a person's immigration status impacts on entitlement to services, and it outlines support options for people with NRPF. It covers areas such as housing, education, legal aid and NHS treatment.
The NRPF Network says the format will be accessible to members of the public and anyone advising a person who has no recourse to public funds about their support options.
Also on the website is more detailed practice guidance for councils working with people with NRPF who are destitute or at risk of homelessness. The website's policy section identifies the policy changes needed to prevent people with no recourse to public funds from experiencing destitution and homelessness.
A new web tool developed in partnership with the University of Oxford's Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) can be used to find out if migrant families can get help with housing and financial support when they have NRPF.
Following the launch of its new website, the NRPF Network warned: "With new Immigration Rules being implemented in January 2021 and the ending of European free movement in the UK, many residents will remain excluded from mainstream benefits and at risk of experiencing poverty or homelessness."