Written question asked by Bishop of Durham (Bishops (affiliation)) on Wednesday, 19 October 2022, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 November 2022. It was answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Conservative) on Wednesday, 2 November 2022 on behalf of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Sleeping Rough: Migrants

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the ‘exhaust all options’ approach, as outlined in the Rough Sleeping Strategy, includes supporting individuals to have their No Recourse to Public Funds conditions lifted through a ‘change of condition’ application.

Answer: We recognise that rough sleepers with restricted eligibility for homelessness assistance, including individuals with a No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition, face particular challenges moving away from the streets.  The Rough Sleeping Strategy committed to building on our expectation that local authorities exhaust all options to support this group.

This may include supporting individuals with leave under the family and human rights routes who are destitute, at risk of destitution, the welfare of their child is at risk due to their low income or there are other exceptional financial circumstances, to apply, for free, to have their NRPF condition lifted by making a 'change of conditions' application to the Home Office.

Secondary information