Demonstrating the Home Office’s firm commitment to support
local authorities in caring for vulnerable children,
further funding has been announced today by the Minister
for Immigration Compliance, .
For the third time in 4 years, the Home Office has
significantly increased financial support for councils who
look after children.
There will be a significant uplift in funding for all local
authorities providing ongoing support to those
unaccompanied asylum seeking children leaving care. The new
rate (£240 per person per week) replaces the previous rates
of £150 and £200 per week, representing a 20-60% increase.
There will also be a targeted 25% uplift in funding for
local authorities across the UK who are currently looking
after the highest numbers of unaccompanied asylum-seeking
children when compared to their child population. They will
receive a tariff of £143 per child per night instead of the
standard rate of £114 per child per night.
Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts
said:
Protecting vulnerable children is a key priority for this
government and local authorities across the UK continue
to provide invaluable support.
In recognition of this, I am very pleased to announce an
increase in funding for local authorities across the UK.
The UK has a long and proud record of providing help to
unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. As a result, there
are currently over 5,000 being cared for in the UK.
In 2019, the UK received more asylum applications from
unaccompanied children than any country in the EU. This
amounts to 20% of all such applications made in the UK and
the 27 EU Member States.
The UK government is committed to supporting a balanced
distribution of children across the UK, which is why it set
up the National Transfer Scheme in 2016.
