Can anyone tell me anything about these please

how do you apply for them?

how much can you get?

how do you repay them etc?

Chris

You should get most of the info you need at the following link

Regards
Paul

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/lawandpolicy/refugeeintegration/integrationloan

I think the Refugee Council were also to be involved in the administration of loans http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/index.htm

But... I may be a bit slow here but wasn't there an idea that the abolition of benefit backdating for refugees breached the Geneva Convention along the lines that refugees must be granted equal treatment with citizens, and their status is recognised from date of the asylum application? So they had a right to claim the difference between Income Support and NASS. Anyone know if anything came of this, or tried challenging a refusal of backdating Incoem Support for refugees?

With a little more research I think I have answered my own question here, but can anyone confirm that this is the case in practice? The Rightsnet news item from June 13 only applies to Section 13 of the Asylum & Immigration Act 2004 regarding refugee integration loans. Section 12 regarding abolition of benefit backdating would require a separate commencement order, which has not yet been made. So refugees can still claim backdated Income Support?

Hi Mark

I’m puzzled. Section 12 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 repealed reg 21ZB of the IS Gen Regs, which allowed for backdating of Income Support for refugees but the reg is still printed in the 2005 law volume without any reference to the above act in the commentary. Or have I missed something?

Regards
Paul

Section 12 of the above Act Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 will require a 'commencement order' before taking effect.

Such an order was made last month with respect to enabling those who have been recognised as refugees to access integration loans - see the rightsnet news story -

Refugee integration loans & the abolition of benefit backdating; New statutory instruments (13 June, 2006)

However the commencement order relating to Section 12 is still awaited.

Yes, you're right. Under section 48. That'll teach me to scrutinize the entire Act properly next time.

Thanks folks. So refugees should definitely still claim backdated payments of Income Support within a month of being granted status. I think there is a commonly held misconception that this has been scrapped already – I have even been told so on a training course - so refugees may find they are put off claiming.

Cheers