Research - paying participant expenses and compensating for time: guidance

13. Refugees and asylum seekers

You should follow this guidance to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers receive payment for expenses incurred through their involvement, and that their time is compensated in line with the guide payment amounts set out in section 6.

Scottish Government has received confirmation from the Home Office that receiving these payments will not impact on refugees’ and asylum seekers’ immigration status. The Home Office has also confirmed that one-off payments will not affect an individual’s access to Asylum Support, but has noted that regular repeat payments may have an impact. Participants should be made aware of this as part of the process of informed consent

If an individual is detained in an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) or ‘detention centre’, they can receive payments for research participation. You should follow this guidance to ensure they receive payment for expenses incurred through their involvement, and that their time is compensated in line with the guide payment amounts set out in section 6.

The information outlined in section 11 on tax implications applies to refugees and asylum seekers. The information outlined in section 12 on state benefits implications applies to those refugees and asylum seekers who are claiming benefits from DWP.