On Monday 17 May, Stephen urged the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Work and Pensions to provide further support for those with no recourse to public funds, as we approach the end of the Job Retention Scheme.
No recourse to public funds is a condition that applies to most migrants granted limited leave in the UK. It prevents people from accessing the majority of benefits like Universal Credit. The pandemic has been particularly difficult for families with this condition, as many have lost hours or income. Some have been eligible for furlough, which has been a lifeline for many.
However, the Job Retention Scheme is due to end this September. Many of those who have been able to benefit from furlough are worried about how they will be able to stay afloat when the scheme ends.
At the Department for Work and Pensions Oral Questions in the House of Commons, Stephen shed light on the difficult situation many families with no recourse to public funds will face as the Job Retention Scheme comes to a close. He asked the Minister, Will Quince, to lay out plans for how these families will be supported come the winter. Will Quince acknowledged that the Government were restricted by what they can do to help those with no-recourse condition on their visas. He did, however, assure Stephen that he would raise it with the Immigration Minister
Speaking in the House of Commons, Stephen said “Hard-working, law-abiding families without Indefinite Leave to Remain haven’t had as much support as others during the Covid-19 outbreak because of the no recourse to public funds condition.
Some of those families have been able to benefit from the Job Retention Scheme, so how will they be supported after that scheme closes in September?”