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In the UK the term 'asylum seekers' denotes people aged 18
or more who arrive from overseas and apply for refugee status,
stating they are fleeing persecution, torture or war. While their
applications are being considered by the Home Office, they continue
to be termed asylum seekers until their refugee status is
confirmed. Those whose claims fail will have their leave to enter
or to remain in the UK cancelled.
In recent years the government has introduced several major
pieces of legislation to reform the asylum and immigration systems.
The Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 made it a criminal offence for
an asylum seeker to enter the UK without a valid identity document,
except where good explanation could be given. It also removed the
right to support for those with dependent children, whose claims
had failed, if they did not take practical steps to leave the
country voluntarily. A further bill introduced into Parliament in
2005 contains measures to further strengthen border controls, to
speed up processing of applications and to replace the integration
grant, for those recognised as refugees, with an integration
loan.
The Home Office set up the National Asylum Support Service
(NASS) to take over from local authorities the role of providing
support to asylum seekers arriving from April 2000 onwards.
However, local authorities are still required to give assistance to
those asylum seekers who arrived before April 2000 and have not yet
had a decision on their claim. The council administer the various
benefits asylum seekers are entitled to and also make provisions
for temporary accommodation.
Support under the Children Act must also be provided for
unaccompanied minors arriving in the county from
abroad. |