- Request
-
We write to request the following information under the FOIA in relation to assessments of, and the provision of support to, families with No Recourse to Public Funds ('NRPF') seeking access to support under section 17 of the Children Act 1989. If you require any further clarification as to our request, kindly inform us promptly and we would be happy to assist.
Contracts
1. Does your local authority have a separate team dealing with requests for support
under section 17 Children Act 1989, for example an 'NRPF team'?
2. If yes, please provide contact details for this team (telephone and email)
3. If no, please confirm where referrals for such support should be directed to and
provide contact details (telephone and email)
4. Please also provide contact details for the relevant legal team supporting
children's services or dedicated NRPF team (telephone and email)
5. Is the local authority a member of NRPF Connect?
Policies
6. Do you have any guidance or policy documents or other such written material in
respect of undertaking assessments and providing support pursuant to section
17 of the Children Act 1989 to families with no recourse to public funds (including
documents specific to this issue, or of more general application but covering this
issue)?
7. If yes, please provide us with a copy.
Assessments
8. How many families/children approached the local authority for support under
section 17 of the Children Act 1989 between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024?
9. How many of the families/children who approached the local authority for support
under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024
went on to receive a) financial support; b) accommodation; C) both
10.How many of the families/children identified in question 8 had no recourse to
public funds (either because of a restriction on their leave to remain or because
they were undocumented)?
11. How many families/children with no recourse to public funds received
a) financial support; b) accommodation; C) both under section 17 following their assessment?
12. How many pregnant persons approached the local authority for support under
section 17 between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. Of these, a) how many of
the pregnant persons had no recourse to public funds, and b) how many of the
pregnant persons with no recourse to public funds went on to receive a) financial
support; b) accommodation; C) both.
Subsistence
13.Does the local authority pay a minimum rate of financial support to
families/children with NRPF, who have no other means of income, under Section
13a. If so, what is this rate?
14.Does the local authority provide any additional payments, such as for young
children, pregnant mothers, or maternity grants? If yes, please specify.
Accommodation
15.How many families with no recourse to public funds were supported to remain in
their own accommodation by the local authority contributing to rent under section
17 between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024?
16.Please provide a list of the types of properties that have been used to
accommodate families under section 17 between 1 April 2023 and 31 March
2024 (e.g., self-contained flat, HMO, B&B) and a breakdown of how many
families were accommodated in each type of accommodation in this time period.
17.Does the local authority provide accommodation to families under section 17 that
does not have access to kitchen space or cooking facilities?
18.If your response to question 16 is yes, between the period 1 April 2023 and 31
March 2024: How many families were placed in accommodation with no access
to kitchen space and/or cooking facilities?
Spending
19. Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 what was the total cost to the local
authority of providing support to
a) Families under section 17; and
b) All families with no recourse to public funds under section 17
- Decision
-
1. No.
2. Not applicable.
3. 01522 782111 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm or 01522 782333 (outside office hours). Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) do not accept referrals by email.
4.
County Offices
Newland
Lincoln
LN1 1YGEmail: legalservices@lincolnshire.gov.uk
5. No.
7. See link above.
8. 61 children had a child in need plan between these dates where the referral source code was 1C - “individual -self”. Please note this is all children.
13. No specific rate for these payments.
13a. No. See policy link above.
14. There are no specific payments, however assessments e.g. under 17 of the CA 1989 may identify a targeted need and some additional payments may be provided.
18. Not applicable.
19.
a. £225,008.
- Reference number
- 11728857
- Date request received
- 14 February 2025
- Date of decision
- 10 March 2025