Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Refugee and the No Accommodation Network Missing the Safety Net, published on 4 September, in particular the finding that the Home Office is frequently failing to provide vulnerable people, including pregnant women, with the asylum support to which they are entitled.

We will discuss the report with the authors and respond in due course.

The report is about support arrangements for failed asylum seekers, who can apply to receive accommodation and other assistance if they would otherwise be destitute and can show that there is a temporary obstacle preventing their departure from the UK . Most of these applications are decided upon within 5 working days, or 2 days if the person is vulnerable, but some take longer because of the need to make further enquiries to establish that the person is eligible to receive the support. There is a right of appeal to the independent Tribunal if the application is refused.