Current issues for those advising migrant clients – ASN meeting Jan 2014 Lucy Bryson, Partnership Community Safety Team

Our migrant communities - according to the 2011 Census An estimated 16% of the city’s population were not born in the UK Over half of these people arrived to live in the UK between 2001and 2011

Our migrant communities (2011 Census) Country of birth -EU Our population born in Western Europe is larger than the South East and UK averages Those born in one of the A8 Accession states form 2.1% of population. This is slightly higher than UK average (2%).

Our migrant communities (2011 Census) Country of birth - Non EU Almost 2000 residents born in North Africa- 0.7% of population (England and SE 0.2%) Over 2,500 residents born in the Middle East – 0.9% of population (England 0.5%, South East 0.3%) Over 1100 residents were born in Iran - 0.4% of population (England 0.2%, SE 0.1%)

EU migration – current issues Population ‘churn’ – are Spanish replacing A8 migrants? Romanian and Bulgarian nationals – will they come here? No JSA or HB for first three months – rules clarified at end of last year. New eligibility tests after 6 months on JSA.

Non EU migration - asylum Nationally asylum figures are drifting up – top countries include Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria Backlog is growing again We still have no dispersal accommodation so asylum seekers are largely hidden Migrant Help has recently won national contract for asylum support

Non EU migration – reducing the numbers, eg Work - minimum income threshold and sponsorship from employers needed Students – more checks, less chance of staying on after study Marriage/spousal visas – minimum income threshold, English language tests for those applying to enter UK

Ineligibility and No Recourse to Public Funds Lack of knowledge about this group but we need to understand it better Role of local authority Role of advice sector Probably a growing population as NRPF conditions are attached to more grants of status.

Citizenship Applicants need to have both: English language proficiency AND Life in the UK test Rise in fees ‘Good Character’ requirement

New Home Office structures Casework has been centralised again Immigration Compliance and Enforcement Teams – Kent and Sussex Team based at Gatwick Interventions and Sanctions unit – ‘remove incentives for people to stay illegally’

The Immigration Bill – creating a hostile climate Housing – private landlords to check immigration status Health – health levy and charging regime for secondary healthcare, more immigration checks DVLA to check immigration status Banks to check immigration status.... etc

Legal Aid cuts – already in place No Legal Aid for Immigration Advice except asylum applications and in cases which involve human trafficking or DV, once these are proven. Impacts of this on community still largely unknown – more undocumented migrants? Bad advice from unqualified advisors ? Need for more OISC accredited advisors?

‘Transforming legal aid’ – residence test – early 2014? ‘No-one will feel the effects of these changes more than migrants with precarious status in the UK. Already by definition a group who are open to exploitation, in future these individuals face having their rights trampled on, without any means of redress’. Immigration Law Practitioners Association

Modern Slavery Growing awareness of different forms of exploitation in sex industry, forced labour, benefit fraud etc Migrants are often victims of these crimes (and perpetrators), having been trafficked into the UK Victims very unlikely to report so the problem remains hidden.

Specialist advice providers in B&H Brighton Voices in Exile (Mon – Wed limited capacity for drop-ins, contact before referring) MACS (also at BMECP Friday One Stop Shop) Migrant Help (at BMECP Friday One Stop Shop) Migrant English Project – primarily ESOL classes but also a hot meal on a Monday BHT Immigration Legal Service - limited hours All advice agencies need to skill themselves up in this area of work – it’s not going away.