Second family hit by section 9 eviction

A mother and son have become the second family to be evicted
under the government’s policy that can lead to the children of
failed asylum seekers being taken into care.

The family were evicted from their home by Blackburn with Darwen
Council and are now understood to be in a hostel.

Stephen Sloss, the council’s director of social services, said
Blackburn with Darwen was assessing the family’s case under human
rights legislation. “As an interim measure the authority continues
to support the family and is in contact with the National Asylum
Support Service about the case,” he said.

The policy, spelt out in section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration
(Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004, removes benefits, including
rent money, from asylum-seeker families whose claims have failed
and who refuse to leave the country.

In August, Vanda Da Graca, 26, and her four-year-old daughter
were the first family to be evicted under the policy, by Rochdale
Council.