Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of living for long periods of time on asylum support on the integration outcomes of new refugees.

No assessment has taken place about the impact of the time people spend on asylum support on the integration of new refugees. The support available to people who claim asylum includes free accommodation, a cash allowance to cover essential living needs, free healthcare and education for their dependent children.

If a supported person is granted refugee status they are able to take employment or apply for mainstream benefits.

The Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper sets out our commitment to working with civil society and other partners to increase the integration support for refugees in the United Kingdom. The consultation on the Green Paper closed on 5 June and we are considering the responses.