Support provided to people with No Recourse to Public Funds

The request was successful.

Dear Brent Borough Council,

Please provide the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I am seeking information about the support provided by the council to people who have ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) status, assigned to those subject to immigration control (e.g. those on temporary visas, those with a pending visa application, those who do not have any immigration status), which excludes them from mainstream welfare benefits and housing support. People with NRPF are entitled to support from Local Authorities in certain circumstances to avoid destitution, where there is a child in need, and / or because of complex health needs (under Children Act 1989, Care Act 2014 and / or Human Rights Act).

I am requesting data from two-time periods (January-June 2017 and January-June 2018). I am aware that in cases where gathering data to fully respond to a Freedom of Information request would exceed the allowable time limit or cost, authorities are not required to work up to these limits (that is, they are not required to partially respond and provide as much data as the limit allows). However, I ask that if providing data for both time periods will exceed the limit, that you please just provide data for the single time period January-June 2018, in accordance with Section 16 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 that states authorities have a duty to provide assistance to those making a request.

I suggest this FOI request is forwarded to the council’s dedicated NRPF Team, or if your council does not have a dedicated NRPF Team, to Children’s Services. Many thanks in advance for your assistance with this matter.

Please provide data for the following questions:

1. How many requests for support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 did the council receive from families where the parent(s) had ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) status in the following six-month periods:

a. January – June 2018
b. January – June 2017

2. How many Child in Need Assessments were conducted by the council in response to requests for support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 from families where the parent(s) had ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) status in the following six-month periods:

a. January – June 2018
b. January – June 2017

3. How many requests for support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 from families where the parent(s) had ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) status were granted (that is, the family went on to receive social services support) in the following six-month periods:

a. January – June 2018
b. January – June 2017

4. How many requests for support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 from families where the parent had ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) status were refused for the following reasons, during the period January-June 2018:

a. The parents’ immigration status
b. The family was not ordinarily resident in the borough
c. The family was deemed not destitute / the child(ren) was not ‘in need’ under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

Yours faithfully,

Anna Mulcahy

Information request
Our reference: 11084828

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Dear Ms. Mulcahy
 
Thank you for your information request. We will forward it to the
relevant department who will contact you shortly.
 
Brent Council
Brent Civic Centre
Engineers Way
Wembley HA9 0FJ
[email address]
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

Nigel Chapman,

Information request
Our reference: 11084828

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Dear Ms. Mulcahy
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Thank you for your request for information that was received on 7 November
2018, as follows:
From: Anna Mulcahy [mailto:[FOI #530818 email]]
Sent: 07 November 2018 15:07
To: Freedom of Information ([Brent Borough Council request email])
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Support provided to people with
No Recourse to Public Funds

Dear Brent Borough Council,

Please provide the following information under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000.

I am seeking information about the support provided by the council to
people who have 'No Recourse to Public Funds' (NRPF) status, assigned to
those subject to immigration control (e.g. those on temporary visas, those
with a pending visa application, those who do not have any immigration
status), which excludes them from mainstream welfare benefits and housing
support. People with NRPF are entitled to support from Local Authorities
in certain circumstances to avoid destitution, where there is a child in
need, and / or because of complex health needs (under Children Act 1989,
Care Act 2014 and / or Human Rights Act).

I am requesting data from two-time periods (January-June 2017 and
January-June 2018). I am aware that in cases where gathering data to fully
respond to a Freedom of Information request would exceed the allowable
time limit or cost, authorities are not required to work up to these
limits (that is, they are not required to partially respond and provide as
much data as the limit allows). However, I ask that if providing data for
both time periods will exceed the limit, that you please just provide data
for the single time period January-June 2018, in accordance with Section
16 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 that states authorities have a
duty to provide assistance to those making a request.

I suggest this FOI request is forwarded to the council's dedicated NRPF
Team, or if your council does not have a dedicated NRPF Team, to
Children's Services. Many thanks in advance for your assistance with this
matter.

Please provide data for the following questions:

1. How many requests for support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989
did the council receive from families where the parent(s) had 'No Recourse
to Public Funds' (NRPF) status in the following six-month periods:

a. January ' June 2018
b. January ' June 2017

2. How many Child in Need Assessments were conducted by the council in
response to requests for support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989
from families where the parent(s) had 'No Recourse to Public Funds' (NRPF)
status in the following six-month periods:

a. January ' June 2018
b. January ' June 2017

3. How many requests for support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989
from families where the parent(s) had 'No Recourse to Public Funds' (NRPF)
status were granted (that is, the family went on to receive social
services support) in the following six-month periods:

a. January ' June 2018
b. January ' June 2017

4. How many requests for support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989
from families where the parent had 'No Recourse to Public Funds' (NRPF)
status were refused for the following reasons, during the period
January-June 2018:

a. The parents' immigration status
b. The family was not ordinarily resident in the borough
c. The family was deemed not destitute / the child(ren) was not 'in need'
under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

Yours faithfully,

Anna Mulcahy
 
We are dealing with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
and we aim to send a response by 5 December 2018.
 
In some case, a fee may be payable. If we decide a fee is payable, we will
send you a fee notice and we will require you to pay the fee before
proceeding with your request.
 
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 may restrict the release of some or
all of the information you have requested. We will carry out an assessment
and if any exemptions apply to some or all of the information then we
might not provide that information to you. We will inform you if this is
the case and advise you of your rights to request an internal review and
to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
 
We will also advise you if we cannot provide you with the information
requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details
of how you may appeal (if appropriate).
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
Nigel Chapman
Operational Director - Integration & Improved Outcomes
Children and Young People
020 8937 4456
[email address]
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

Nigel Chapman,

1 Attachment

Information request
Our reference: 11084828

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Dear Ms. Mulcahy
 
Thank you for your request for information received on 7 November 2018.
 
Please find attached our response to your request.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
Nigel Chapman
Operational Director - Integration & Improved Outcomes
Children and Young People
Brent Council
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.