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Most of the issues and our plans for what we should be doing next are set out in previous sections.

In summary:

Recent case law on the national assistance act means that up to half of the people currently supported by Newcastle City Council under the terms of the act may no longer be entitled to that assistance. As of December 2008, the authority is engaged in a review of all cases and plans a managed move of all eligible cases onto UK Border Authority support - either section 95 or section 4. The Council is implementing these changes in consultation with its third sector partners.

The Asylum Seekers Unit at Your Homes Newcastle succeeds in supporting asylum seekers under the terms of the contract

Newcastle City Council takes its duties under the National Assistance Act 1948 and Children Act 1989 very seriously and supports more people in this way than all of the other local authorities in the region combined. Newcastle is talking to other authorities in the region in an effort to share the workload more widely.

If we fail to manage and meet the needs of refugees and asylum seekers, we risk

• Increasing numbers of destitute homeless asylum seekers with no recourse to public funds
• Increasing pressure on the third sector organisations
• Social and community cohesion problems
• Public health problems because of
  
  • particular health needs that people have upon arrival and;
  • health problems that may emerge because of destitution

It is very difficult for us to know where people go when they have been through the asylum application system. If a decision is positive then refugees may move freely around the UK. 'Failed' asylum seekers who the UK Border Authority do not remove from the country will lose access to support and be lost to the authorities.

Asylum seekers and refugees have different entitlements to support dependent upon their legal status - summarised in Table 2 (taken from North East Public Health Observatory 2008[i]). Failed asylum seekers who are not entitled to support under section 4 are in the worst position

Table 2 - Refugee and asylum seekers entitlements

Your Homes Newcastle

As previously above Your Homes Newcastle continues to support asylum seekers under the terms of the contract with the UK Border Agency. That is, providing accommodation, services and support under the terms of the Asylum and Immigration act 1999. This includes:

National policy - Official national policy from the UK Border Agency states that UK policy is to welcome those deemed genuine refugees and quickly remove those deemed false, "The United Kingdom has a proud tradition of providing a place of safety for genuine refugees. However, we are determined to refuse protection to those who do not need it and will take steps to remove those who are found to have made false claims."