Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is providing to (a) asylum seekers and (b) migrants who are (i) vulnerable and (ii) digitally excluded, to complete their immigration applications during the covid-19 pandemic.

The Home Office has temporarily introduced additional locations to register asylum claims which began taking appointments on 19 April 2020. The Asylum Intake Unit in Croydon continues to provide an appointment service to those looking to claim asylum in London and the South East, with available appointments being increased week on week. This is supported by limited operations in Glasgow, Belfast, Liverpool, Leeds, Solihull and Cardiff. These are temporary arrangements which will be kept under review to align with HMG guidance. These changes do not represent a new operating model - they are contingency measures put in place during the COVID-19 epidemic in order to ensure that asylum seekers are able to safely register their claims. Asylum Operations have secured a mobile digital and video interviewing solution to support remote interviewing and are working with delivery partners, to enable the use of this technology. We remain committed to restarting substantive asylum interviews as soon we can establish a process that allows the participants - applicants, representatives, interpreters and interviewers - to do so safely. Asylum Operations continue to make and serve decisions on cases where there is enough information to do so. We continue to review these on a case by case basis, ensuring those with significant safeguarding concerns or vulnerabilities are only served with decisions if appropriate to do so. These are unprecedented times and we are adjusting processes and procedures where necessary and appropriately to adapt to these changes.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, We-Are- Digital, the Home Office’s assisted digital provider has maintained its telephone service providing support for digitally excluded visa and European Settlement scheme applicants. This service assists applicants who do not feel confident in using a computer or mobile phone or do not have internet access. Currently, the face to face services that they offer are not available due to Covid-19 restrictions. We-Are-Digital are working closely with the Home Office around safely resuming all services.

Additionally, UK Visas & Immigration Service and Support Centres are operating a limited service for customers with compelling and compassionate circumstances. At this time, customers can send supporting information via email or through the post.