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What is NRPF (source national network website):
No recourse to public funds (NRPF) applies to a person who is subject to immigration control; does not have the right to work (with the exception of people granted leave as spouses or civil partners) and has no entitlement to welfare benefits, public housing or UKBA asylum support.
East of England Regional NRPF (EE-NRPF) Network:
NRPF networks operate in several UK regions. The purpose of the regional networks is to facilitate information sharing at a local level, to discuss national policies and to discuss specific cases. Regional networks are coordinated by members of the NRPF Network Steering Group.
- The East of England-NRPF network developed out of a regional workshop held to discuss NRPF on the 30th October 2008.
- The Eastern Region NRPF (EE-NRPF) network is co-ordinated by MENTER (the regional BME network). MENTER’s co-ordinating role is outlined below.
- The Terms of Reference for the regional group were agreed to by the EE-NRPF Steering group at its inception meeting on 22nd January 2009.
- The regional group feeds into the national NRPF Network hosted by Islington Borough Council and the Senior Policy Officer of the East of England Regional Assembly’s Strategic Migration Partnership is our regional representative on that group.
- Membership of the group is open to all local authorities and voluntary sector agencies working with NRPF clients.
- The regional network meets at the East of England Regional Assembly offices in Bury St Edmunds. The upcoming meeting dates for 2009 are as follows:
- 29th April, 11.30-12.30, EERA offices
- 17th September, 11.30-12.30, EERA offices
- 26th November, 11.30-12.30, EERA offices
MENTER’s role will be to assist the EE-NRPF steering group achieve its aims with a view to complementing the national network’s aims and objectives:
The National Network Aims & Objectives: The network works at practice, policy and strategic levels and aims to:
- share information and good practice amongst local authorities and other agencies working in this area (MENTER and EERA will disseminate the information to network members)
- work with government departments to raise the practical and policy issues of NRPF
- obtain reimbursement for local authorities of the costs of providing support to people with NRPF
- develop a strategic response to NRPF
The National Network Activities include:
- providing guidance and information on service provision, legal obligations and entitlement to services
- providing information on developments in case law, research, policy and training
- researching and monitoring the scale of the issue and the associated costs to local authorities and to other agencies
- facilitating information sharing and benchmarking
- providing training for local authorities
What would be MENTER’s role as the EE-NRPF coordinators?
To assist the network steering group in achieving its aims by:
- assisting the steering group in developing and identifying strategies to influence and inform policy
- leading on raising awareness and good practice amongst service providers, particularly local authorities
- assisting the steering group identify and build partnerships between NRPF stakeholders in the region
- Identifying the types of NRPF clients in each area and the kinds of supports available and who deals with NRPF clients
- Working with the steering group members to try to evidence the cost of NRPF to their respective local authorities
- Promoting the benefits of NRPF to local authorities and identifying ways they can save cost on service provision
- To work with the steering group to develop a common regional assessment and referral protocol for NRPF
- Leading on developing consistency in the region on NRPF issues through shared knowledge and being the NRPF agenda champion within the MAF structures
- Acting as the region’s point of contact for information and advice on NRPF issues
- By Filling the information gap providing trainings, and sharing information
- Collating and disseminating a body of knowledge on NRPF issues in the region
Who should be involved in the network?
The EE-NRPF Steering Group agreed that all organisations that encounters NPRF clients in our region should be invited to join the network. Anyone interested in joining the network email list should contact me by email at (pamusa@menter.org.uk) or my colleague Beatrice Humarau (Beatrice@menter.org.uk) at MENTER.
Who has NRPF?
- refused asylum seekers whose appeal rights are exhausted
- people who have overstayed their visa
- people on sponsorship visas
- people who originally arrived in the UK on a visa and have subsequently put in further representations to remain in the country
- some EEA migrants
What responsibilities do local authorities have for people who are destitute and have NRPF?
Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide care support, including accommodation and subsistence, to certain categories of people who have NRPF and are 'destitute-plus'. By destitute-plus we mean people who have been assessed under community care and/or children’s legislation as having a need for care and attention above 'mere' lack of accommodation and subsistence. This is a complex area of work involving the interface of immigration, community care and human rights law.
On what basis might someone be eligible for local authority support?
On account of having care needs, including:
- mental or physical ill health, disability or age
- being pregnant or a nursing mother
- being a victim of domestic violence
- being an adult with responsibility for children
Who is excluded from local authority support?
Under immigration legislation there are four categories of people who are excluded from support by local authorities. The four categories are:
- nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA)
- people with refugee status granted by a country within the EEA
- people unlawfully present in the UK (including those whose visa has expired)
- refused asylum seekers who have refused to co-operate with removal directions
However, there may still be a duty on a local authority to provide support where failure to do so would result in a breach of an individual’s human rights.
What guidance is there for local authorities about their duties and responsibilities?
Although the law governing this area of work is complex and interpretation of the law regularly changes as the result of case law, there is little guidance for local authorities.
The NRPF Network was established in part because of the absence of guidance in this area. Whilst the network does not provide legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice, it does provide information and guidance for local authorities on this area of work
What are the financial implications of NRPF for local authorities?
Local authorities face increasing demand for services and rising costs of service provision. There is no mechanism for local authorities to obtain reimbursement of costs from central government.
What are the risks to people who have NRPF?
This area of work involves vulnerable people who could be put at risk if local authorities do not meet their duties to provide support and accommodation. Leaving vulnerable people destitute can lead to a worsening of their physical and/or mental health.
Regional NRPF Networks
Below are a list of the existing NRPF networks operating in the UK. .
- East of England Regional Network: Meetings take place quarterly at the East of England Regional Assembly (Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk) as part of the Social Service Leads sub-group of the East of England Strategic Migration Partnership. NRPF leads from the regional multi-agency fora should attend the meetings.
For more information, please contact Pa Musa Jobarteh at: 7 Rigby's Court, St. Giles Street, Norwich, NR2 1NT, pamusa@menter.org.uk,  01603 617076
- London NRPF Regional Network: Meetings take place quarterly at Westminster Council. Attendance is restricted to local authorities and other statutory organisations. Link to the National NRPF network website hosted by Islington Council: http://www.islington.gov.uk/Health/ServicesForAdults/nrpf_network/default.asp
For more information about the London Network please contact Bill Britain, Group Manager, Assessment and Care Management, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham: bill.brittain@lbbd.gov.uk, or 020 8724 8373
- West Midlands NRPF Regional Network: Meetings take place quarterly at the Regional Partnership Centre, Birmingham. Attendance is at present restricted to local authorities.
For more information please contact Pete Olner, Strategic Manager, Birmingham City Council: peter_olner@birmingham.gov.uk or 0121 303 4212
- Yorkshire and Humberside NRPF Regional Network: Meetings take place four to six times a year in Leeds. Dates and venues are fixed between meetings. Attendance is restricted to local authority representatives and local IGOs.
For more information please contact Ted Brown, Principal Care Manager, Immigration and Asylum Unit, Bradford City Council: ted.brown@bradford.gov.uk, or 01274 432917
NRPF Monthly Briefing Bulletins (source national network website):
NRPF briefings provide updates on the work of the NRPF Network, and on developments in case law, policy and practice. You can download past briefings below. The monthly briefing will be e-mailed to all East of England MAF network members.
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