Written questions by Costigan.

If she will discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the (a) adequacy and (b) efficiency of consular support with processing (i) identity and (ii) travel documents for undocumented migrants who are homeless in the UK.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office provides consular assistance to British nationals abroad.The Home Office provides the Homelessness Escalation Service for organisations supporting non-UK nationals experiencing homelessness. Local Authorities, homelessness charities and immigration legal advisors can use the service to obtain current status information and to escalate outstanding immigration applications highlighting an individual’s vulnerability connected to their experience of homelessness.If an undocumented migrant does not have permission to remain in the UK, and wishes to return home voluntarily, they can get help to return to their home country from the Voluntary Returns Service.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of migration to eVisas on people with indefinite leave to remain.

An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) was completed on the first phase of the roll out of eVisas to EEA nationals on 9 November 2020, which built on the Policy Equality Statement (PES) for the EUSS which was produced in 2017 and published on the gov.uk website on 18 November 2020: Policy equality statement: EU Settlement Scheme (accessible version) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). A separate EIA considering equalities issues in relation to the use of digital only right to work and rent checks was published on gov.uk in June 2022: Digital only right to work and rent checks: equality impact assessment (accessible) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) We are also in the process of reviewing our eVisas EIA, setting out further analysis of the equalities issues in relation to the proposed prioritisation plan for roll out of eVisas, including people with indefinite leave to remain, and ceasing to issue physical documents. We plan to publish an up-to-date version of this EIA on gov.uk in a due course. We will work to ensure all those with Indefinite leave to remain are supported through the transition to eVisas.

What steps she is taking with (a) the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and (b) relevant organisations to increase the quality of data available to her Department on the number of (i) migrants with no recourse to public funds and (ii) other migrants who become homeless.

The Home Office is committed to understanding how the NRPF policy impacts different migrant groups through engagement with public and private sector organisations on a regular basis, including at the quarterly NRPF Stakeholder Forum. The Government is looking at homelessness levels carefully and will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to bring an end to homelessness. The Home Office is in the process of migrating its casework operations to the new ATLAS system. Once fully migrated, it will be possible to explore what further information on NRPF can be produced using the new system.

If she will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of the no recourse to public funds condition on levels of homelessness; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the operation of the condition.

The Home Office is committed to understanding how the NRPF policy impacts different migrant groups through engagement with public and private sector organisations on a regular basis, including at the quarterly NRPF Stakeholder Forum. The Government is looking at homelessness levels carefully and will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to bring an end to homelessness. The Home Office is in the process of migrating its casework operations to the new ATLAS system. Once fully migrated, it will be possible to explore what further information on NRPF can be produced using the new system.

What steps she is taking to prevent people becoming homeless after leaving asylum accommodation.

Individuals granted asylum are able to work and access mainstream services that support their integration. We are working across Government to ensure smooth transition into work and to ensure these services meet the needs of all newly granted refugees. Those refused asylum and whose appeal rights are exhausted are expected to leave the United Kingdom. All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help. Migrant Help or their partner organisation support all individuals when they receive a decision on their asylum claim. This support includes providing advice on employment and signposting to local authorities for assistance. We continue to work with colleagues at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to understand rough sleeping and homelessness pressures within local authorities. We share enhanced data sets (the Place Based Visibility tool - PBVT) with local authorities and statutory partners which we are continuing to develop further. The PBVT is complimented by the Discontinuation Prediction Tool (DPT) which is shared weekly; this data provides a real time view of discontinuation notices likely to be served in the next following 4-6 weeks.

If she will make an assessment of the impact of immigration-based restrictions to public funds on homelessness among non-UK nationals.

Those seeking to establish their life in the UK are generally expected to maintain and support themselves and their families without depending on the UK’s welfare system.The Home Office Homelessness Escalations Service (HES) provides immigration status information and an escalation service designed to help non-UK national rough sleepers, (or those at risk of such) to access services and support to which they are entitled (where they are granted Permission to Stay in the UK), or otherwise to allow those supporting them to decide what actions to take in the full knowledge of their immigration status.Safeguards exist for those in need. Those who hold permission under the Family or Private Life, Human Rights or the Hong Kong BN(O) routes can apply, for free, to have their No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition lifted by making a ‘change of conditions’ application, if they are destitute or at risk of imminent destitution, if there are reasons relating to the welfare of a relevant child, or where they are facing exceptional circumstances affecting their income or expenditure. For all other immigration routes discretion can be applied to lift a NRPF condition, where particularly compelling circumstances may justify access to public funds.Local authorities may also provide basic safety net support, regardless of immigration status, if it is established either that there is a risk to the wellbeing of a child or there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example, where a person has community care needs or serious health problems.