Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people for whom return is not possible have been in receipt of support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for longer than six months.

Support is provided in some circumstances to failed asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Although no specific records are kept, only a small number of people seek support because they claim they are permanently unable to leave the UK. Support is provided because there is a temporary legal or practical obstacle to departure, for example because the person is too sick to travel or needs time to apply for the necessary travel document. The number of people who have been on section 4 support for more than 6 months is 4,395.