The government’s ‘no recourse to public funds’ policy is pushing those living legally in Britain into destitution and homelessness, writes Bethan Lant
Sirin Kale’s piece highlighting the impact of the rising cost of living made for harrowing reading (‘It is so easy to lose everything’: tales of poverty, despair and dignity at a Citizens Advice centre, 9 June). The combination of inflation, wage stagnation and real-terms cuts to benefits are creating a perfect storm for those with least in our society.
But missing from the piece was any mention of the 1.4 million people residing legally in this country – many of whom work and pay taxes – who are denied access to the welfare safety net by their immigration status. This includes young people born here and thousands of British children who are routinely denied access to support such as universal credit, child benefit and housing benefit, even if they are living in poverty – all because of their (or their parents’) immigration status.
