Funding boost for councils looking after asylum seeking children

The Home Office has announced a funding boost of over £30 million for local authorities looking after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

This means that the rates currently paid at £71, £91 and £95 (depending on the age of a child and when they arrived in the UK) will be uplifted to £114 per child per night across the board. This will apply to care provided from 1 April 2019 onwards.

The increase in funding will total over £30 million per year from the Home Office. Further details of the changes that will be made to funding arrangements can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement here the Government announcement here. No statement yet on the rates for support to care leavers.