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Obligations do exist under various statutory regulations, which include Section 4 of the Immigration and Nationality Act,

Section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 and Section 17 of the Children’s Act 1989.

However, in some cases duties were not adhered to or utilised in cases of No Recourse to Public Funding.

Qualifying for support under destitution plus (Section 21 of the National Assistance Act, 1948) from
6th December 2000, those subject to immigration control were no longer eligible for assistance if their need stems from ‘destitution alone’ or the consequences of destitution. Local Authorities use the term “destitution plus”. The key criteria is whether there is an imminent risk of significant harm not arising from financial or accommodation reasons if support was not provided, which would only be suffered as a result of the additional circumstance of ill health, disability or other vulnerability.

Which Direction Services is an organisation that is prepared to support women with no recourse to public funding. We will support these women with:

Short Term Accommodation (Whilst home office application is being processed)
Emotional support
Practical support
Advocacy Work
Domestic violence support groups
One to one key work sessions
Floating Support
Play therapy (where appropriate)

Whilst residing at our accommodation the team will be liasing and collating
relevant documentation pertaining to individuals circumstances from
relevant external agencies to enable the Home office to make the legal decisions
required regarding the status of these women and their children whilst fleeing
 domestic violence residing in the UK.

The Eligibility Criteria for the accommodation will be that the women and children will need to be funded by the local authority. 

In researching rental provisions for these women and children and talking to local authorities Which Direction have found that local authorities will be more reluctant to house women due to the costing of B&B’s, hostels, Refuges and privately rented accommodations.

Therefore Which Direction is rolling out a pilot scheme to all local authorities to provide and support these women and children and help No Recourse to Public Funding victims to find freedom.

Floating Support for women with No Recourse to Public Funding

Which Direction after assessment will be glad to work with women in the community in giving verbal and practical support where applicable if not eligible for our accomodation.

A fee will be charged If the referring agency wish for our staff to advocate and support individuals in gathering the relevant paperwork from various agencies that will eventually lead to a legal decision being made by the home office. Counselling can also be offered for women and age specific counselling for their children.

These are real quotes taken from women that had fled Domestic Violence and who had No Recourse to Public Funding……

Ms A came to the UK from India on a spousal visa. Her husband subjected her to repeated physical and sexual violence. She was often beaten with a hockey stick and threatened with a gun. She was told that she would be killed if she dared report the violence to anyone. Eventually whilst pregnant, she managed to escape and report the abuse to the police. A statement was taken but as she had nowhere to stay, the police asked their interpreter to let her stay with him. Ms A tried to seek help from social services but they said there was nothing they could do for her. She eventually decided to terminate her pregnancy due to lack of support, homelessness and destitution.

Ms F fled from her family in Nigeria her father helped her to escape from the abuse of her step mother and the community as Ms F would not agree to marry a man who was twice her age. Ms F’s father paid a family friend to support his daughter out of Nigeria. The family friend exploited Ms F and trafficked Ms F into the United Kingdom. Ms F was kept in a house where she was put to work with other trafficked women. Ms F was able to escape from her abusers and seek help. Ms F attended community church groups, where she met her second abuser, she was then diagnosed with HIV and pregnant with twins.

Ms F was referred to us via Lewisham hospital where she was able to get the appropriate support. Ms F is now legal in the United Kingdom and has two beautiful healthy children and a secure tenancy …

DON’T SUFFER IN SILENCE!!!

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