The Government has been clear that its priority is to
ensure that survivors of this tragedy get the access they
need to vital services, irrespective of immigration status.
On 5 July, we announced that those individuals directly
affected by the Grenfell Tower fire who contact the Home
Office via a specified process will be given a period of
limited leave for 12 months to remain in the UK with full
access to relevant support and assistance.
Our initial response to this terrible tragedy was rightly
focused on survivors’ immediate needs in the aftermath of
the fire and ensuring they could access the services they
need to start to rebuild their lives.
However, since the Grenfell Tower immigration policy was
announced, we have been planning for the future of those
residents affected by these unprecedented events and
listening to their feedback, as well as the views of Sir
Martin Moore-Bick.
The Government believes it is right to provide the specific
group of survivors who are eligible for limited leave to
remain under the dedicated immigration policy greater
certainty over their long-term future in the UK, subject to
their continued eligibility and the necessary security and
criminality and fraud checks being met.
That is why I am announcing today that those who qualify
for leave to remain under the Grenfell immigration policy
for survivors will now be provided with a route to
permanent settlement in the UK.
Eligible individuals, who have already come forward or do
so by 30 November 2017, will be granted an initial 12
months’ limited leave which will be extendable and lead to
permanent residence after a total period of five years’
leave granted under the policy, subject to meeting
security, criminality and fraud checks.
I also wish to inform the House of additional support for
relatives of survivors or relatives of victims of the
tragedy who have already been granted entry to the UK for
reasons relating to the Grenfell tragedy. The changes I am
announcing today will enable relatives to stay in the UK
for up to six months from their date of entry. This new
dedicated immigration policy allows relatives who have come
to the UK and who were initially granted less than 6
months’ leave in order to provide a short period of support
a survivor or to arrange the funeral of a family member to
extend their stay to 6 months in total.
Anyone who believes they are eligible for either scheme can
speak face-to-face to a specialist Home Office team at The
Community Assistance Centre, 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale,
West London, W10 6TP.
There are existing immigration policies which allow us to
consider compassionate circumstances where someone is not
covered by the bespoke policies for survivors and relatives
and any such applications would be considered on a case by
case basis.
