Dear Kristine Harris

Thank you for your information request received on 15 July.

We can confirm receipt of your request for information and will handle it
under the most appropriate legislation.  

Your case reference number is FOI 27301

You can expect to receive a response by 12 August. 

The Council will be in touch if we need any further information.

Yours sincerely,

Information Management Team

Buckinghamshire Council

[1][Buckinghamshire Council request email]

[2]A Little Longer

DISCLAIMER FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL

Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender and
are not necessarily those of Buckinghamshire Council unless explicitly
stated.

This email and any attachments may contain confidential or privileged
information and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity
to whom it is addressed. Any confidential, sensitive or protectively
marked material must be handled accordingly.

If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, distribute,
copy, print or rely on any of the information contained in the email or
attachments, and all copies must be deleted immediately. If you do receive
this email in error please notify the sender immediately and note that
confidentiality or privilege is not waived or lost. 

Buckinghamshire Council may monitor the contents of emails sent and
received via its network for the purposes of ensuring compliance with
relevant legislation and the Council’s policies and procedures. All such
monitoring will take place in accordance with relevant legislation
including privacy and data protection legislation. For details of how
Buckinghamshire Council uses personal information please see the Council’s
website.

Buckinghamshire Council has scanned this email and attachments for viruses
but does not accept any responsibilities for viruses once this email has
been transmitted. You should therefore carry out your own anti-virus
checks before opening any documents.

References

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1. mailto:[Buckinghamshire Council request email]

Dear K Harris,

Please accept our apologies for the delay you have experienced in
receiving our response to your information request. Buckinghamshire
Council is aware of its statutory responsibility under the Freedom of
Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations and we work
hard to ensure we meet the requirements of the Act/Regulations.
Unfortunately the service is experiencing difficulties meeting the
required deadline. Please be assured the service is addressing your
request and we hope to provide you with  a response shortly.

Kind Regards

Stephanie Wallis

Information and  Complaint Case Officer

E-mail [Buckinghamshire Council request email]

[1]Thank you

DISCLAIMER FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL

Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender and
are not necessarily those of Buckinghamshire Council unless explicitly
stated.

This email and any attachments may contain confidential or privileged
information and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity
to whom it is addressed. Any confidential, sensitive or protectively
marked material must be handled accordingly.

If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, distribute,
copy, print or rely on any of the information contained in the email or
attachments, and all copies must be deleted immediately. If you do receive
this email in error please notify the sender immediately and note that
confidentiality or privilege is not waived or lost. 

Buckinghamshire Council may monitor the contents of emails sent and
received via its network for the purposes of ensuring compliance with
relevant legislation and the Council’s policies and procedures. All such
monitoring will take place in accordance with relevant legislation
including privacy and data protection legislation. For details of how
Buckinghamshire Council uses personal information please see the Council’s
website.

Buckinghamshire Council has scanned this email and attachments for viruses
but does not accept any responsibilities for viruses once this email has
been transmitted. You should therefore carry out your own anti-virus
checks before opening any documents.

References

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Dear Kristine Harris

Further to my colleague’s apology of 10 August, we regret that there will
be a further delay with sending you a response.

Due to the pressures being experienced by the service area, we would
respectfully ask if we could be granted an extension of another 20 working
days from the original deadline.  We apologise for this delay and for any
inconvenience caused.

Kind regards

Francisca Harpur

Senior Information Request Officer

Deputy Chief Executive Directorate

Buckinghamshire Council

01296 585771

[1][Buckinghamshire Council request email]

The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8FF

[2]Thank you

DISCLAIMER FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL

Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender and
are not necessarily those of Buckinghamshire Council unless explicitly
stated.

This email and any attachments may contain confidential or privileged
information and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity
to whom it is addressed. Any confidential, sensitive or protectively
marked material must be handled accordingly.

If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, distribute,
copy, print or rely on any of the information contained in the email or
attachments, and all copies must be deleted immediately. If you do receive
this email in error please notify the sender immediately and note that
confidentiality or privilege is not waived or lost. 

Buckinghamshire Council may monitor the contents of emails sent and
received via its network for the purposes of ensuring compliance with
relevant legislation and the Council’s policies and procedures. All such
monitoring will take place in accordance with relevant legislation
including privacy and data protection legislation. For details of how
Buckinghamshire Council uses personal information please see the Council’s
website.

Buckinghamshire Council has scanned this email and attachments for viruses
but does not accept any responsibilities for viruses once this email has
been transmitted. You should therefore carry out your own anti-virus
checks before opening any documents.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Buckinghamshire Council request email]

Dear Kristine Harris

Thank you for your request for information received on 15 July 2021
concerning Subsistence payments to families with No Recourse to Public
Funds.

This request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. 
I can confirm that Buckinghamshire Council does hold information falling
within the description specified in your request.  Please find the
relevant details below:

a)     has guidance on the minimum or median rate of support provided per
family member?

There are no set allowance rates for NRPF families in Buckinghamshire and
payments have historically been based on individual need. However, more
recently, subsistence rates have tended to be set based on the Asylum
support rates provided by the Home Office. These rates are usually lower
than equivalent benefit payments but are based on the fact that BCSC pay
utility bills for families who require accommodation support.

b)     if so, what is the minimum or median rate received per week (or
fortnight if    subsistence is paid fortnightly rather than weekly)?

N/A – See above response.

c)     whether the local authority provides additional funds for children
aged 1-3?

The Local Authority does not ordinarily provide additional funds for
children of these ages. 

d)     whether the local authority provides additional funds for children
aged 0-1? 

The Local Authority does not ordinarily provide additional funds for
children of these ages.

e)     whether the local authority provides additional funds for pregnant
mothers? 

The Local Authority does not ordinarily provide additional funds for
pregnant Mothers. 

      f)      whether the local authority provided any additional
subsistence payments   during  the Covid-19 pandemic to help with
additional costs?

The Local Authority provided additional subsistence payments for one NRPF
family during the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

g)     if the answer to any of questions c)-f) is yes, then please outline
what additional funds are received per week (or fortnight if subsistence
is paid                        fortnightly rather than weekly)?

£69.50 weekly was paid to the above-mentioned family. 

h)     whether the local authority provides a maternity grant following
the birth of a child? 

                      The Local authority does not provide a maternity
grant.

I)                and if so, how much is this grant and is it provided for
every child or only for the first child born to the mother?

N/A

j)       whether the local authority provides discretionary payments for
additional   expenditure, eg. winter clothes, school uniforms, travel
costs? 

The Local Authority has provided discretionary payments to NRPF families.

k)     and if so, is there any guidance on the maximum amount payable or
the frequency of payments?

There is no guidance on these discretionary payments, with amounts
determined according to individual circumstance and need.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number provided in the subject line of
this email in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you can contact us at [1][Buckinghamshire Council request email] or by
writing to us at Information Governance, Buckinghamshire Council, The
Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.

If you are not content with the of  outcome of your complaint, you may
apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally,
the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the internal
review procedure provided by Buckinghamshire Council.  You can contact the
ICO via their website [2]https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/ or by
writing to them at Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.  Alternatively, you can phone
them on 0303 123 1113.

Yours sincerely,

Stephanie Wallis

Information & Complaint Case Officer

[3][Buckinghamshire Council request email]

[4]Thank you

DISCLAIMER FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL

Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender and
are not necessarily those of Buckinghamshire Council unless explicitly
stated.

This email and any attachments may contain confidential or privileged
information and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity
to whom it is addressed. Any confidential, sensitive or protectively
marked material must be handled accordingly.

If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, distribute,
copy, print or rely on any of the information contained in the email or
attachments, and all copies must be deleted immediately. If you do receive
this email in error please notify the sender immediately and note that
confidentiality or privilege is not waived or lost. 

Buckinghamshire Council may monitor the contents of emails sent and
received via its network for the purposes of ensuring compliance with
relevant legislation and the Council’s policies and procedures. All such
monitoring will take place in accordance with relevant legislation
including privacy and data protection legislation. For details of how
Buckinghamshire Council uses personal information please see the Council’s
website.

Buckinghamshire Council has scanned this email and attachments for viruses
but does not accept any responsibilities for viruses once this email has
been transmitted. You should therefore carry out your own anti-virus
checks before opening any documents.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Buckinghamshire Council request email]
2. https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
3. mailto:[Buckinghamshire Council request email]

Dear Ms Harris

FOI 27301

Thank you for contacting Buckinghamshire Council and your follow up
request for information below regarding subsistence payments to families
with No Recourse to Public Funds.

This request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please find the relevant details below.

 1. What you mean by Asylum support rates in the above answer?
Does this refer to the Asylum Support rates as provided by the Home
Office of £39.63 per person in the household and as set out on this
website
([1]https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...

One of the reasons I ask is that you say you do not pay an uplift to
young children or pregnant mothers nor does BCSC provide a maternity
grant for new mothers so your other answers in the FOIA do not seem to
correspond to this policy

The reference to Asylum support rates in the initial answer does refer to
the rates provided by the Home Office.

However, as stated in the original answer, there “are no set allowance
rates for NRPF families in Buckinghamshire.” Rates are based on need and
set by individual teams within Buckinghamshire children’s Social Care
(BCSC).

Our understanding is that Home Office rates have been used for subsistence
payments for the majority of recent NRPF referrals into BCSC. However,
replicating Home Office payments in all areas is not an overarching policy
of BCSC.

 2. The reason given for providing rates that are lower than equivalent
benefit payments is the fact that BCSC pay utility bills for families
who require accommodation support. Can you confirm what subsistence
rates are paid to per family member for families with no recourse to
public funds who do not require accommodation support where BCSC
covers utility bills?

Please refer to our response to question 1  – Subsistence amounts issued
to NRPF families vary.

 3. Lastly, since this has been a recent change in policy, would you be
able to provide me with any guidance or meeting minutes where these
changes were discussed and agree upon?

This has not been a recent change in policy. Individual teams in BCSC have
access to information on current Home Office subsistence rates, but
decisions on payments are ultimately made based on the individual needs of
the families.

If you have any queries about this response, please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number provided in the subject line of
this email in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you can contact us at [2][Buckinghamshire Council request email] or by
writing to us at

Information Governance
Buckinghamshire Council
The Gateway
Gatehouse Road
Aylesbury
HP19 8FF

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.

Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the
internal review procedure provided by Buckinghamshire Council.

You can contact the ICO via their website
[3]https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/ or by writing to them at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Alternatively, you can phone them on 0303 123 1113.

With kind regards

Joanna Kelly

Information and Complaint Case Officer

Deputy Chief Executive Directorate

Buckinghamshire Council
New County Offices, Walton Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1UA
[4][Buckinghamshire Council request email]

[5]Thank you

DISCLAIMER FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL

Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender and
are not necessarily those of Buckinghamshire Council unless explicitly
stated.

This email and any attachments may contain confidential or privileged
information and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity
to whom it is addressed. Any confidential, sensitive or protectively
marked material must be handled accordingly.

If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, distribute,
copy, print or rely on any of the information contained in the email or
attachments, and all copies must be deleted immediately. If you do receive
this email in error please notify the sender immediately and note that
confidentiality or privilege is not waived or lost. 

Buckinghamshire Council may monitor the contents of emails sent and
received via its network for the purposes of ensuring compliance with
relevant legislation and the Council’s policies and procedures. All such
monitoring will take place in accordance with relevant legislation
including privacy and data protection legislation. For details of how
Buckinghamshire Council uses personal information please see the Council’s
website.

Buckinghamshire Council has scanned this email and attachments for viruses
but does not accept any responsibilities for viruses once this email has
been transmitted. You should therefore carry out your own anti-virus
checks before opening any documents.

References

Visible links
1. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
2. mailto:[Buckinghamshire Council request email]
3. https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
4. mailto:[Buckinghamshire Council request email]