Assessments of, and the provision of support to, families with No Recourse to Public Funds
Dear Sir/Madam,
Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request
We write to request the following information under the FOIA in relation to assessments of, and the provision of support to, families with No Recourse to Public Funds (“NRPF”) seeking access to support under section 17 of the Children Act 1989. If you require any further clarification as to our request, kindly inform us promptly and we would be happy to assist.
Contact details:
1. Does your local authority have a separate team dealing with requests for support under section 17 Children Act 1989, for example an ‘NRPF team’?
2. If yes, please provide contact details for this team (telephone and email)
3. If no, please confirm where referrals for such support should be directed to and the contact details (telephone and email)
4. Please also provide contact details for the relevant legal team supporting children’s services or dedicated NRPF team
Policies:
5. Do you have any guidance or policy documents or other such written material in respect of undertaking assessments and providing support pursuant to section 17 of the Children Act 1989 to families with no recourse to public funds (including documents specific to this issue, or of more general application but covering this issue)?
6. If yes, please provide us with a copy.
Subsistence:
7. Do you pay a set rate of financial subsistence to families with no recourse to public funds?
If you answered yes in response to Q7 please consider questions 8-14, but ignore questions 15-16. If you answered no, please ignore questions 8-14 and proceed to question 15.
8. If yes, what is paid?
9. How has that figure been reached? E.g. is it by reference to Child Benefit rates, asylum support (section 4 or section 95 rates)?
10. When was this level set?
11. Who took this decision?
12. Please provide copies of any reports, minutes, decision documents detailing the setting of this rate.
13. If you do not pay a set rate of financial subsistence to families with no recourse to public funds, do you have any guidelines relating to rates of financial support?
14. If yes, please provide a copy.
15. If you do not pay a set rate of financial subsistence to families with no recourse to public funds, in the months April to September 2020, how many families with NRPF were receiving regular financial subsistence support under section 17 (CA 1989) from your local authority?
16. Please specify how much financial support each family received per week (or fortnight if subsistence is paid fortnightly rather than weekly) as regular subsistence in each of the months April, May, June, July, August and September 2020. Please provide a breakdown for each of these months and when doing so please provide the following information:
a. Specify the composition of the household (i.e. whether it is a two or single-parent household and how many children there are)
b. identify whether the household has any children under 1-year-old and, if so, how many
c. identify whether the household has any children between 1 and 3 years old and, if so, how many;
d. identify whether the household has any children between 4 and 17 years old and, if so, how many
e. identify whether any of the members of the household were pregnant
f. identify whether the household ever received any discretionary payments for individual items from the Council and, if so, how much;
g. identify whether the household ever received additional funds for travel costs, and if so, how much.
Please note that we are not requesting personal data and we are not requesting identifying information. We are expecting to receive something along these lines. Please note, we are not prescribing the format of your response, though you are welcome to follow our suggestion ( a table format). We are trying to provide clarification that we hope will assist you in responding.
We anticipate that this information will be easily accessible to you as we understand that the majority (if not all) of the families will receive automated payments to their subsistence cards.
If you require any further clarification as to our request, kindly inform us promptly and we would be happy to assist.
If you hold any of the information requested but consider it is exempt from disclosure, please state specifically what exemption you rely upon (including the relevant statutory provision) and the reason you consider it to be applicable.
We look forward to receiving your response within 20 working days as per the FOIA.
Yours faithfully,
Kristine Harris
Project 17, St Joseph's Hospice, Mare Street , London E8 4SA
07808646852
Dear Ms Harris
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – INFORMATION REQUEST
Thank you for your request for information that we received on 26/02/2021. Your request is being dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
You will receive the information you have requested within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject to any exemptions that may apply.
Although the Council is aware of its statutory requirements under the FOIA, the UK is in the midst of an unprecedented national emergency due to Coronavirus (COVID-19). This emergency has placed an enormous strain on Local Authorities including high staff absence, mandatory homeworking and resource being redeployed to assist front line services. The Council will endeavour to meet statutory deadlines for requests but please note there is a likelihood of delays. If this is the case please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused and we appreciate your patience during these challenging times.
You should note that the Act defines a number of exemptions that may prevent disclosure of the information you have requested. If any of the exemption categories apply, the information will not be disclosed. If there are references to a third party, they may be consulted prior to a decision being made on whether or not to disclose the information. You will be informed if either of these is applicable, including your rights of appeal.
There may be a fee payable for this information. If this is the case, you will be informed in writing and a ‘Fees Notice’ will be issued. The fee must be paid before the information is processed and disclosed. The 20 working day time limit for responses will commence on receipt of the payment if a fee is applicable.
If appropriate, the information will be provided in paper copy, normal font size. If you require another format, e.g. audio, large print, translation or CD, please let me know.
If you have any queries you can contact me or write to: FOI, PO Box 4, Blackpool, FY1 1NA, or email us at [email address]. Please remember to quote your reference number when you contact us.
Kind regards
Information Governance Team
Governance and Partnerships | Blackpool Council |Number One| Bickerstaffe Square |Talbot Road |Blackpool |FY1 3AH
Post to: Blackpool Council | PO Box 4 | Blackpool | FY1 1NA
T: 01253 477477
E: [Blackpool Council request email]
Dear Ms Harris
Please see attached.
Kind Regards
Information Governance Team
Governance and Partnerships | Blackpool Council |Number One| Bickerstaffe Square |Talbot Road |Blackpool |FY1 3AH
Post to: Blackpool Council | PO Box 4 | Blackpool | FY1 1NA
T: 01253 477477
E: [Blackpool Council request email]
Dear Information Governance Team,
Thank you for your reply to our FOIA request dated 29.03.2021
I have now had a chance to read the response and had some quick follow up question on a few points that are unclear to me and I was hoping you could help me clarify.
In response to question 7. Do you pay a set rate of financial subsistence to families with no recourse to public funds?
You answered :Please see guidance: https://blackpoolchildcare.proceduresonl...
In addition your answer to questions 8 through 14 also seems to make reference to this policy document.
I have read through the document but I do not see any where that it states how much you pay as a set rate of financial subsistence to families with no recourse to public funds, what this rate was set in reference to, when it was set nor who authorised this rate.
Could you please have another look at the questions as submitted and provide us with answers to question 7 onwards in the request. If you do not pay a set rate could you please answer questions 15-16.
Thank you in advance for your help clarifying this
Yours sincerely,
Kristine
Dear Ms Harris
Thank you for your email below requesting clarification on our response.
I apologise that the original answer was not clear.
Original questions from 7 onwards are posted again below.
Subsistence:
7. Do you pay a set rate of financial subsistence to families with no
recourse to public funds?
No.
If you answered yes in response to Q7 please consider questions 8-14, but
ignore questions 15-16. If you answered no, please ignore questions 8-14
and proceed to question 15.
8. If yes, what is paid?
9. How has that figure been reached? E.g. is it by reference to Child
Benefit rates, asylum support (section 4 or section 95 rates)?
10. When was this level set?
11. Who took this decision?
12. Please provide copies of any reports, minutes, decision documents
detailing the setting of this rate.
13. If you do not pay a set rate of financial subsistence to families with
no recourse to public funds, do you have any guidelines relating to rates
of financial support?
14. If yes, please provide a copy.
Not applicable.
15. If you do not pay a set rate of financial subsistence to families with
no recourse to public funds, in the months April to September 2020, how
many families with NRPF were receiving regular financial subsistence
support under section 17 (CA 1989) from your local authority?
None.
16. Please specify how much financial support each family received per
week (or fortnight if subsistence is paid fortnightly rather than weekly)
as regular subsistence in each of the months April, May, June, July,
August and September 2020. Please provide a breakdown for each of these
months and when doing so please provide the following information:
a. Specify the composition of the household (i.e. whether it is a two or
single-parent household and how many children there are) b. identify
whether the household has any children under 1-year-old and, if so, how
many c. identify whether the household has any children between 1 and 3
years old and, if so, how many; d. identify whether the household has any
children between 4 and 17 years old and, if so, how many e. identify
whether any of the members of the household were pregnant f. identify
whether the household ever received any discretionary payments for
individual items from the Council and, if so, how much; g. identify
whether the household ever received additional funds for travel costs, and
if so, how much.
Not applicable.
I trust this helps to clarify our response?
Kind Regards
Information Governance Team
Governance and Partnerships | Blackpool Council |Number One| Bickerstaffe
Square |Talbot Road |Blackpool |FY1 3AH
Post to: Blackpool Council | PO Box 4 | Blackpool | FY1 1NA
T: 01253 477477
E: [1][Blackpool Council request email]
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