Ending Destitution Together: progress report – year one 2021 to 2022

Looking ahead to Year Two

Continued commitment

Throughout the first year of delivery of the strategy, partners have made a significant contribution to the implementation of the initial actions set out in the strategy. There is a recognition of continued challenges for the strategy, but through the continued commitment of partners and stakeholders, we will strive to achieve the vision of creating a Scotland where no one is forced into destitution, and everyone has their human rights protected, regardless of their immigration status. The Scottish Government and COSLA will continue to raise issues impacting people living in Scotland and urge the UK Government to prevent, not create, destitution.

Next Steps

• Officials will be working closely with Public Health Scotland and SG Health to progress actions around primary health care services access, health access cards, mental health service access
• Engagement with employability policy leads to ensure that employability support is accessible
• Establish and expert advisory group which focuses on integrating lived experience within future development of the strategy
• Input to the next Race Equality Action Plan
• SG and COSLA working to strengthen provision of financial assistance and wider LA support
• Updated national guidance on migrants’ rights and entitlements
• Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) – engagement with Home Office counterparts to explore the possibility of removing the SWF from list of funds not accessible to those with NRPF.

Noted below are some of the key priorities identified at the outset of Year Two of the delivery of Ending Destitution Together. Work already in train will continue to progress.

Workstream One: Essential Needs

Action 4: We will strengthen provision of financial assistance and wider local authority support to destitute families with children and vulnerable adults.

COSLA is engaging closely with local authorities and our public sector partners to progress this action. We will be taking steps to establish an evidence base on NRPF support activity delivered by local authorities and the costs associated with providing assistance to people with NRPF. This work will include working in partnership to explore future funding and delivery models which strengthen and improve support for people with NRPF across Scotland

Action 6: We will improve access to primary health services, including by working with Public Health Scotland and other partners to address health inequalities experienced by people subject to NRPF, translating Health Access Cards and promoting to NHS staff the right to access healthcare for migrants and people seeking asylum.

The Scottish Government and COSLA are engaging with Public Health Scotland to take forward this work. Mapping exercises have been undertaken and will be used as a basis to develop and progress partnership in this area.

Workstream two: Advice and Advocacy

Action 8: We will invest in the provision of diagnostic legal advice delivered in partnership with advocacy support for people subject to NRPF, including expanding the geographical reach outside Glasgow.

In January 2022, the Scottish Government committed £171,000 to support the delivery of a diagnostic legal advice project, to be delivered by the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC), as part of Fair Way Scotland(FWS).

SRC are part of FWS, a unique public, third and academic sector partnership, working alongside people with direct experience of the asylum and EU settlement processes to end homelessness and destitution among people with NRPF. FWS’s five year plan is based on the learning of the Humanitarian Project and Destitute Asylum Seeker Service projects, seeking to extend the model to all parts of Scotland, and for all groups (including EU nationals) affected by or at risk of NRPF destitution. FWS comprises a delivery consortium including Scottish Refugee Council, Safe in Scotland, Refugee Survival Trust, Simon Community Scotland and Turning Point Scotland. It is supported by an infrastructure for monitoring, evaluation and learning provided by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), Heriot-Watt University and Homeless Network Scotland.

The project, developed in partnership with FWS, supports the delivery of this action. It will provide data to help inform on the circumstances of people that require legal support and the extent and nature of NRPF destitution in Scotland to support the development of sustainable solutions. The project will run for an initial 6 months, and commenced in April 2022. Its aim is to support: people in asylum accommodation at risk of eviction; people with previous experience of the asylum system no longer in support; people with NRPF experiencing or at risk of destitution; and people with insecure immigration status, to access appropriate support and advice for their circumstances.

During this period, SRC is triaging the legal advice needs and providing support, including signposting, for all people contacting them through the existing national helpline, which is already operational.

The number of people with NRPF outside Glasgow who may be at risk of destitution is not currently known. The SRC national helpline will be capturing information to improve understanding of destitution levels and geographical location to enable coordination of advice provision between partners to build the evidence base.

Workstream Three: Inclusion

Action 10: We will extend financial support to people subject to NRPF where that is possible to do so, on the same basis. We will explore opportunities to ensure people are included in any new benefits developed through the extended social security powers. While these powers are limited, any new benefits should be made equally available to everyone living in our communities where possible.

COSLA and Scottish Government officials are engaging with policy leads on progressing this work.

Action 11: We will ensure that employability support is accessible to people subject to NRPF who have permission to work. We will improve understanding of the employability support needs of people with NRPF to strengthen the pathways of No One Left Behind.

COSLA and Scottish Government officials are engaging with policy leads on progressing this work. Mapping exercises have been completed to provide a basis to build on and progress in this stream of work.

Action 12: We will contribute to development of the next Race Equality Action Plan to ensure that it takes into account the challenges faced by people with NRPF and explore what further action can be taken to ensure no one faces destitution.

COSLA and Scottish Government officials are engaging with delivery leads on progressing this work.

Action 13: We will work with people with lived experience of destitution and NRPF to continue to inform and share the strategy during implementation. This will include supporting opportunities for people to participate meaningfully in policy development and service design at national and local level.

COSLA and Scottish Government officials are progressing this action in partnership with third sector colleagues alongside establishing an expert advisory group which will embed the lived experience of those subject to NRPF conditions