Current Issues

Impact of funding cuts on refugee integration and employment

Following the Comprehensive Spending Review in late 2010, the UKBA announced that asylum support services it funds would be cut by 60% from 01 April 2011. In addition it was announced that the Refugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES), which was established in October 2008, will end by October 2011.

In addition to cuts to these specific services, in the recently published strategy for integration (see here), additional English language funding is only planned for adults who are not in employment or actively seeking employment, and who cannot afford their tuition fees.

Employability Forum has conducted a mapping survey to help identify emerging gaps in services for asylum seekers and refugees across England, Scotland and Wales. The information gathered through the survey will be used to inform our discussion at the Refugee Integration Working Group and to shape the recommendations that we submit to Ministers over the coming months. A report will be shortly published. For more information please contact us.

New documentation for refugees in 2012

From early 2012 all asylum seekers granted permission to stay in the UK will be issued a Biometric Residence Permit. These are already issued to some categories of migrant workers and are credit-card sized photo ID that also contain biometric information about the individual. Key concerns in Employability Forum are that

  • the card is issued with all other grant documentation and includes the person's National Insurance Number;
  • the card clearly states that employment is permitted and the holder has access to public funds;
  • employers and other key stakeholders (eg banks, housing authorities, universities, hospitals etc) are aware of and understand the new card, including what the individual's rights and entitlements are as the temporary leave nears its expiry date;
  • as the card cannot be applied for retrospectively, refugees holding different forms of ID do not experience increased difficulties in accessing services.