Government policy on refugees 'unfair'
25.10.04

Proposed government policy on refugees will lead to high levels of debt and deprivation and will do little in terms of integration, a leading children's charity has claimed.

The Child Poverty Action Group, in its response to the Home Office's paper, Integration Matters: A National Strategy for Refugee Integration makes clear its opposition to the government proposal of 'refugee integration loans' which they believe will lead to increasing income poverty for these vulnerable groups.

'The decision by government several months ago to stop refugee entitlement to back dated benefits was grossly unfair and the proposals by the Home Office do little to help such a vulnerable group at a vulnerable time,' said Kate Green, Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group.

'The experiences of refugees is unique – in that they are forced to live on an income that is below subsistence levels for many years. We are extremely worried about the increasing levels of poverty, deprivation and social exclusion of refugee families.' she said.

CPAG has pointed out in its response to the government that there is a serious lack of detail about the new proposed refugee integration loans and that it is difficult to engage in a debate about the issue without an outline of the intended scheme.

They go on to add that the proposal to offer loans creates unequal treatment and will do little to promote good race relations.

For further comment
Ashley Riley
Tel. 020 7837 5222
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07811 324339 or ariley@cpag.org.uk

For a copy of the Child Poverty Action Group's response to the Home Office Consultation Paper Integration Matters: A National Strategy for Refugee Integration, email ariley@cpag.org.uk