Home Office denies guidance rumours

The Home Office has denied rumours that it is drawing up guidance on leaving care support for unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

Councils have raised concerns that they do not receive enough funding for the group and many currently have different policies on the entitlement to services of unaccompanied minors whose claims have failed. Hillingdon Council is set to take the department to judicial review over its alleged under-funding.

The National Asylum Support Service only pays for unaccompanied minors until they reach 18 but councils can be required to support them up until the age of 24. Their only source of funding for this is the Department for Education and Skills’ care leavers
grant, which is cash limited.

Some councils classify unaccompanied minors whose claims have failed as failed asylum seekers who are not entitled to such services.

Further information
The National Asylum Support Service