Refugee Cuncil respnse t the 21 st Century Welfare cnsultatin Octber 2010 Abut the Refugee Cuncil The Refugee Cuncil is a human rights charity, independent f gvernment, which wrks t ensure that refugees are given the prtectin they need, that they are treated with respect and understanding, and that they have the same rights, pprtunities and respnsibilities as ther members f ur sciety. We achieve this missin by: supprting refugees and wrking with them as they build a new life speaking up fr refugees and ensuring that refugees themselves have a strng vice in all areas f UK life building links with peple frm acrss ur sciety t increase mutual understanding f refugees making the case fr a fair and just asylum system taking a leading rle in helping t build up a vibrant, sustainable and successful refugee sectr in the UK and internatinally This respnse has been infrmed by ur direct experience f prviding integratin and emplyment supprt t refugee, alng with the views f ther stakehlders. Page 1 f 5
Intrductin and summary f Refugee Cuncil s respnse The Refugee Cuncil welcmes the cnsultatin paper s aims t simplify the benefit system, persnalise pre-emplyment supprt individuals receive and maximise wrk incentives while prtecting thse mst in need. A majrity f adult refugees were in full time wrk, self emplyment r educatin befre cming t the UK. There is a strng cmmitment t wrk and t be self supprting. Many refugees have higher level skills and a majrity speak tw r mre languages ther than English. Althugh refugees d nt cme t the UK fr jbs r training, they are keen t cntribute and use their skills nce here. Refugees want t wrk but can experience barriers t finding full time, sustainable emplyment which uses their skills and experience. Refugees ften start ff wrking part time, usually thrugh agencies, and many will need early access t English language supprt. Develping a mre flexible welfare system that accmmdates such wrk and training patterns will strengthen a refugee s lnger term emplyment pprtunities. Hwever, we are cncerned that an increased use f sanctins may unfairly penalise refugees. The persnalisatin theme f the cnsultatin paper needs t shape a system f cnditinality t reflect what is reasnable t expect an individual r family t meet. A refugee new t the UK with limited r n English is in a very different situatin t a first language English speaker with UK qualificatins. 1. What steps shuld the Gvernment cnsider t reduce the cst f the welfare system and reduce welfare dependency and pverty? We wuld recmmend three key steps which, in ur experience, are necessary t reduce welfare dependency and pverty amngst refugees. Advice and guidance Access t skilled prvisin f infrmatin, advice and guidance (IAG) is the fundatin fr refugees being infrmed and empwered t make shrt, medium and lng term decisins. This shuld include an emplyment and skills assessment that leads t a jb plan, ne that recgnises previus experience and qualificatins and sets realistic wrk and training gals. The IAG prvided shuld als ensure that refugees are fully aware f the emplyment rights and entitlements. We have wrked with a number f clients wh d nt have standard cntracts f emplyment but are classified as wrkers. This can lead t irregular hurs, prer wrk cnditins and greater jb insecurity. Early access t English language supprt Early entry nt English language training is a pririty fr many refugees. Research has shwn that refugees with higher levels f English are mre likely t be in emplyment. 1 The imprtance f refugees being supprted t learn English early n has been recgnised in the Incme Supprt Regulatins. 2 Hwever, in practice we have fund it difficult t utilise this pprtunity: cllege curses have waiting lists and require evidence f incme supprt; there is a risk f refugees being left withut benefits as it takes time fr an applicatin fr IS t be prcessed. The Emplyability Skills Prgramme available t Jbcentre Plus (JCP) custmers n Jbseekers 1 DWP Blch 2 IS and utline f plicy Page 2 f 5
Allwance (JSA) can prvide English fr Speakers f Other Languages (ESOL) but this is fr a limited perid f time and is dependent n prviders being able t run fcused ESOL. In ur experience the ESP mainly prvides jb preparatin training (e.g. CV writing, jb search, interview technique) which may nt be apprpriate fr peple with lwer levels f English. In additin, there is n English language supprt available fr JSA custmers with pre Entry levels f English. As a result, many rely n vluntary prvisin in cmmunities. We wuld recmmend that DWP wrks in partnership with the Department fr Business, Innvatin and Skills (BIS), t ensure that all refugee custmers with English language needs have access t ESOL training, including when they mve int wrk. UK wrk experience Refugees experience higher levels f unemplyment cmpared t many ther grups. 3 Getting UK wrk experience, either thrugh wrk-fcused vlunteering, wrk and training placements r paid emplyment, is vital t strengthening a refugee s emplyability. We have fund that wrk-fcused vlunteering pprtunities have been effective in prviding refugees with valuable knwledge f the UK jb market and individual sectrs, gaining references and strengthening emplyment utcmes. Hwever, there needs t be greater flexibility t establish wrk placements in the private sectr. Many refugees have previus experience in areas where emplyment in the UK is cncentrated in the private sectr (e.g. finance). It is difficult fr this t be accmmdated within DWP's current vlunteering plicy and we have fund ther ptins, fr example thrugh Wrk Trials and the Training Allwance, t have limited scpe fr refugees, particularly thse with verseas experience and existing skills. (Wrk Trials require a cnditinal jb ffer and the Training Allwance is limited t certain types f skill develpment.) Fr thse refugees wh d find paid wrk, this is ften initially thrugh emplyment agencies. Such wrk can have irregular hurs and is usually belw their level f skills. It can be sme time befre refugees prgress int full time, sustainable wrk. A mdern welfare system needs t recgnise these different patterns f wrking and entries t the labur market f refugees new t the UK. 2. Which aspects f the current benefits and Tax Credits system in particular lead t the widely held view that wrk des nt pay fr benefit recipients? 3. T what extent is the cmplexity f the system deterring sme peple frm mving int wrk? There are a number f aspects that thrugh ur direct services we have fund impact n refugees. These include: Lw take hme rates f pay when peple have started wrk The cmplicated nature f payments means that it is has been impssible t predict what a persn will be left with if they start t wrk. This includes the current tax credits system. Indeed, it is difficult fr JCP t make these calculatins during a regular signing sessin. Clients ften need t prvide the details and then return, smetimes a frtnight later, t find ut hw much incme they will have. The immediate effect n husing benefit can make refugees feel vulnerable. A refugee s previus experience is ne f becming hmeless: frced t leave their cuntry as a result f persecutin, temprary accmmdatin while claiming asylum which is prvided 3 DWP minrity ethnic and natinal average Page 3 f 5
n a n-chice basis arund the UK. Stable accmmdatin is therefre imprtant fr refugees t feel secure, stable and able t rebuild their lives. The number f agencies t which refugees have t prvide the same infrmatin leads t frustratin, cnfusin and cncern that everything has been cvered. This prcess ften fllws a perid f claiming asylum where refugees have had t prvide detailed persnal infrmatin t the UK Brder Agency. Hwever, they d nt have experience f dealing with ther agencies r systems f supprt. Refugees new t the UK d nt, in general, have access t savings r funding thrugh family supprt which can be used t subsidise training r lss f incme ver the shrter term. 4. T what extent is structural refrm needed t deliver custmer service imprvements, drive dwn administratin csts and cut the levels f errr, verpayments and fraud? There are gd examples f partnership wrking with JCP. Fr example, the Refugee Cuncil has established a Service Level Agreement with JCP in the West Midlands and published a jint natinal cmmuniqué utlining the key entitlements f refugee custmers. This includes early access nt certain prgrammes as pririty custmers, including Flexible New Deal, and English language pprtunities. Hwever in rder fr these t wrk in practice, JCP s frnt line advisers need t have access t the infrmatin and be trained t use it apprpriately. The future develpment f welfare t wrk prvisin must ensure that advisers are skilled t prvide IAG t refugees. Fr example, t recgnise and assess a refugee s previus qualificatins and experience and establish an apprpriate wrk and training plan. 5. Has the Gvernment identified the right set f principles t use t guide refrm? 7. D yu think we shuld increase the bligatins n benefit claimants wh can wrk t take the steps necessary t seek and enter wrk? 8. D yu think that we shuld have a system f cnditinality which aims t maximise the amunt f wrk a persn des, cnsistent with their persnal circumstances? The Refugee Cuncil supprts principles that will prmte plicies t reduce pverty, prtect the mst vulnerable and create genuine pprtunities fr wrk and training. Hwever, the practical applicatin f the principles needs t accmmdate the needs f a diverse range f users. Althugh we wuld encurage mves twards a simpler system, an increased use f nline access can disadvantage certain users. This is particularly true fr refugees new t the UK and thse wh have lwer English language levels. The pprtunity fr face-t-face meetings needs maintained t ensure that such users are nt disadvantaged. We are als cncerned that an increased use f sanctins may unfairly penalise refugees. The persnalisatin theme f the cnsultatin paper needs t shape cnditinality t reflect what is reasnable fr an individual r family t meet. A refugee s psitin as a persn frced t cme t the UK fr prtectin means that they will face a number f distinct barriers t mving int emplyment. These range frm English language ability and recgnitin f verseas qualificatins and experience, thrugh t limited access t scial netwrks and financial exclusin. A system f cnditinality needs t be respnsive t this experience and the issues faced by refugees in accessing emplyment. 9. If yu agree that there shuld be greater lcalism what lcal flexibility wuld be required t deliver this? Page 4 f 5
We wuld welcme greater lcalism where this allws fr increased partnership wrking with lcal rganisatins t deliver effective services fr supprting refugees int wrk. Hwever, lcalism wuld still need t be disciplined by natinal guidance and infrmatin t ensure that refugees cntinue t be cnsidered as pririty custmers wherever they live. 10. The Gvernment is cmmitted t delivering mre affrdable hmes. Hw culd refrm best be implemented t ensure prviders can cntinue t deliver the new hmes we need and maintain the existing affrdable hmes? Page 5 f 5