IMMIGRATION

Government tells councils to 'do their bit' for child asylum seekers

The Home Office has called on local authorities to do more to support vulnerable children seeking asylum in the UK.

The Home Office has called on local authorities to do more to support vulnerable children seeking asylum in the UK.

This week Kent CC warned it had reached its capacity to safely care for any more unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

The council, which has cared for more than 1,500 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children since 2014/15, said that it was unable to accept any new arrivals and called on the Home Office to fairly distribute the children to other local authorities.

A Home Office spokesman today said that the Government was helping the council but it was important for other local authorities to take in more children.

He said: ‘We continue to provide Kent CC with support, including significant increases in funding, but the burden being placed on them is unacceptable and cannot continue.

‘We are grateful to the 53 local authorities who have pledged more than 210 places to support our national transfer scheme, but we need more to come forward and do their bit for vulnerable children.

‘The Home Office, Department for Education and MHCLG [Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government] are writing to all local authorities, urging them to come forward, play their part and take responsibility.'

IMMIGRATION

Proud to serve the sector

By Louise Gittins | 03 July 2025

Writing in LGA Conference week, newly re-elected chair Cllr Louise Gittins reflects on the Government’s key announcements and says council leaders must have ...

IMMIGRATION

Common sense Reform

By Paul Marinko | 03 July 2025

Reform UK is taking a measured approach to implementing change as the party takes charge of Durham Council, the authority’s new leader tells Paul Marinko.

IMMIGRATION

Navigating local government reorganisation

By Paul Clarke | 02 July 2025

Paul Clarke shares his advice on negotiating the challenges of local government reorganisation.

IMMIGRATION

Climate strategy: More benefits than burdens

By Adele Gritten | 02 July 2025

Net zero ambitions can, and must, go hand in hand with local growth, writes Adele Gritten

Popular articles by William Eichler