Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of recognising school examinations as grounds to delay a long-distance move of families between asylum accommodations.

Accommodation is offered on a no-choice basis across the United Kingdom.

However, as set out in the Allocation of Asylum Accommodation policy, accommodation may be temporarily arranged in a certain location where a child has started their final school or college year leading up to their GCSE, Scottish Highers, AS or A levels, provided they have been enrolled at that school for a significant part of the previous school year.

All asylum seekers, including individuals who have specific reasons for wishing to be located in a particular area, have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information about how to obtain further support.