Support provided to people assessed as having No Recourse To Public Funds status

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Dear West Lothian Council,

This is a Freedom of Information request.

I am looking for information on the support provided by the council to people (and their dependents) assessed as having No Recourse To Public Funds (NRPF) under Section 115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

For each of the last three calendar years where information is available (Please provide figures for each year):

1. How many people with NRPF status have approached the council to request financial assistance?

2. How many people with NRPF status subsequently received financial assistance from the council following an approach? How many people were refused financial support?

3. How many people with NRPF status that subsequently received financial assistance from the council following an approach also had dependent children? How many people with NRPF status and dependent children were refused financial support?

4. What is the total amount spent by the local authority on supporting people with NRPF status? Please break this down into annual housing costs and subsistence costs.

5. How many children of people with NRPF status have been taken into care by the local authority?

6. If any information is shared by the local authority to the Department of Work and Pensions (or other UK Government entity) on people with NRPF status receiving support, please confirm what personal information is shared. If any regular reports are provided to these government agencies please supply a copy of the most recent report provided.

I would prefer not to receive the requested data in a pdf format file. Please provide the requested data in a CSV file or MS Excel file.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours faithfully,

Ally Tibbitt

West Lothian Council

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West Lothian Council

07/02/2018

Dear What Do They Know

Freedom Of Information

Reference no. 101005806130

I refer to your request for information dated 17/01/2018.

Dear West Lothian Council,

Re: Freedom of Information request - Support provided to people assessed as having No Recourse To Public Funds status This is a Freedom of Information request.

I am looking for information on the support provided by the council to people (and their dependents) assessed as having No Recourse To Public Funds (NRPF) under Section 115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

For each of the last three calendar years where information is available (Please provide figures for each year):

1. How many people with NRPF status have approached the council to request financial assistance?

2. How many people with NRPF status subsequently received financial assistance from the council following an approach? How many people were refused financial support?

3. How many people with NRPF status that subsequently received financial assistance from the council following an approach also had dependent children? How many people with NRPF status and dependent children were refused financial support?

4. What is the total amount spent by the local authority on supporting people with NRPF status? Please break this down into annual housing costs and subsistence costs.

5. How many children of people with NRPF status have been taken into care by the local authority?

6. If any information is shared by the local authority to the Department of Work and Pensions (or other UK Government entity) on people with NRPF status receiving support, please confirm what personal information is shared. If any regular reports are provided to these government agencies please supply a copy of the most recent report provided.

Reference: [FOI #457961 email]

Response:

1. West Lothian Council will have to refuse this query under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 on the basis that the council do not hold the information requested.

2. Ten children in four families received financial assistance from the council.
b) West Lothian Council will have to refuse this query under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 on the basis that the council do not hold the information requested.

3. The four families who received financial assistance from the council all had dependent children.
b) West Lothian Council will have to refuse this query under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 on the basis that the council do not hold the information requested.

4. Housing/Subsistence costs:
2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
Maintenance £19,353.80 £28,270.96 £13,326.09
Rent £3,886.79 £12,405.26 £6,492.85

5. No children have been taken into care by the local authority.

6. West Lothian Council has not been asked to provide reports to government agencies.

Please note that West Lothian Council only retain information for those individuals who receive funding.

You are free to use the information supplied in this response for your own non-commercial research or private study purposes. The information may also be used for any other purpose allowed by a limitation or exception in copyright law, such as news reporting. Any such use must be in context and must not be misleading. Any other type of re-use, for example by publishing the information in analogue or digital form, including on the internet or commercial use, will require the permission of the intellectual property owner and copyright owner.

Further details as to how to apply to re-use information supplied by us can be found on our website at www.westlothian.gov.uk/freedom-of-inform...

If you have any complaint about the Council's handling of your request for information, you may require the Council to review its actions and decisions in relation to this response. Please write, within 40 working days from the receipt of this information, to Carol Johnston, Chief Solicitor, West Lothian Council, West Lothian Civic Centre, Howden South Road, Livingston EH54 6FF (Telephone: 01506 281605, email: [email address]). The request should be in writing, email or other permanent format and should state your name, address and specify the original request for information and the reason for your dissatisfaction.

In the event that you have not received a response to your request within 20 working days (allowing time for postage), or if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Internal Review, a further right of review exists to the Scottish Information Commissioner. You can apply online: www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal or in writing to the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS (01334 464610; email [email address]).

You can apply to the Commissioner for a decision on the manner in which the Council has dealt with your request. The application must be submitted within six months after the date of receipt by you of the outcome of the Internal Review or in the event of the Council failing to comply with the Internal Review within six months of the expiry of the time period for compliance. The application should be in writing, email or other permanent format, state your name, address and the reason for your dissatisfaction with the original response and internal review. Should you then wish to appeal against the Commissioner's decision, there is a right of appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law only. Any such appeal must be made within 42 days after the date of intimation of the Commissioner's decision.

Yours Sincerely

Vivienne Robertson

West Lothian Council

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