Family lose appeal on benefits again

Another family this week lost their appeal against the government’s
policy that can lead to the children of failed asylum seekers being
taken into care.

As Community Care went to press, councillors were due to
meet to discuss whether to support the Khanali family, who live in
Bury, Greater Manchester. The family won the first appeal but the
Home Office again applied to withdraw benefits.

All the councils piloting the policy, which removes benefits from
failed asylum seekers who refuse to return to their countries of
origin, have now expressed concerns. Last week, 10 councils in
Yorkshire and Humberside joined the protest.

Government figures published this week show that the number of
failed asylum seekers removed from the UK fell by 5 per cent to
3,590 in April to June this year, compared with the same period
last year.

The first Iraqi failed asylum seekers set to be forcibly removed by
the government were still waiting in detention as Community
Care went to press.

• Quarterly Asylum Statistics from www.homeoffice.gov.uk