At the start of August, supposedly in response to the Calais situation, the Home Office announced plans to limit support, or destitution payments, for failed asylum seekers, many of whom have outstanding applications for leave to remain or cannot be returned to their country of origin through no fault of their own. The government’s justification for this was that such benefits might act as a pull factor for refugees hoping to reach the UK, although they have produced no evidence to support this theory. They launched a public consultation on the matter, to which we have submitted this response.

You can read the consultation document here.