Day 16 - Become an ally to NRPF women
In the UK, some migrants are subject to a condition called No Recourse to Public Funds or NRPF, which can have far reaching consequences for migrant women, particularly those living with abuse or violence.
When people come to the UK, they must apply for permission to enter and remain in the country. The type of permission they get will become their immigration status, and in some cases, it will include the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition.
NRPF restricts access of migrants to certain social security benefits and social housing. It’s a condition that forms part of the Home Office’s hostile environment policy.
The consequences of this condition are particularly harmful to migrant women affected by abuse. Without the safety net that access to these types of public funds offer, they face increased risk of destitution and exploitation, forcing them into making tough decisions in order to find safety and have a roof over their heads.
What is No Recourse to Public Funds or NRPF?
The NRPF condition affects people who are subject to immigration control - that is, people who don't have British citizenship or settled status. This include people who are residing in the UK on:
Spouse visas,
Student visas or
Work permits
Or those who are:
Asylum seekers,
Undocumented migrants or
Visa overstayers
This list is not exhaustive —there are many other situations where a person could have NRPF attached to their status. Some examples of ‘public funds’ include: child benefit, council tax benefit, disability living allowance, housing & homeless assistance, income support, and universal credit. The Home Office has a complete list of ‘public funds’ applicable to the NRPF condition. It is important to know that the NRPF condition only applies to public funds included in the Home Office’s list. A person whose status in the UK is subject to NRPF isn’t allowed to access any of the ‘public funds’ in the list.
However, this also means that that same person can access publicly funded support not included in the list, for example, government funded legal aid, free school lunches, early learning childcare support, or free access to some NHS services.
How NRPF affects migrant women
The NRPF condition prevents migrant women from accessing the social security safety net that exists to protect the most vulnerable in our society. One of the restrictions that NRPF places on migrants is financial and housing support.
Without this safety net, migrant women who depend on an abuser to pay for food and accommodation might struggle to leave the relationship and support themselves and their children. This means they are often forced to decide between staying with the abuser or facing poverty and street homelessness.
Economic abuse is a common form of domestic abuse used to control and deprive the victim/survivor. Abusers often use a women's immigration status and specifically their NRPF status to threaten and frighten them into staying in the relationship. Women who are experiencing economic abuse and have NRPF status are placed in an extremely vulnerable position.
In many cases, women can be denied refuge accommodation if the refuge is funded by the government. This leaves migrant women with NRPF with limited options for safe accommodation.
The only exception is when it comes to children (under age 18) and vulnerable adults (that is, a person over 18 years who is unable to take care of or protect herself). By law, local authorities have the duty to protect these groups when they face destitution and homelessness. Local authorities have the power to support the child or vulnerable person and their family regardless of the NRPF condition.
This issue is affecting people across the UK - think about what you can do to be an ally to NRPF women who may be trapped in unsafe situations because of their NRPF status. You can stay informed by following @justrightscot.
