Multi-Agency Protocol Supporting People with No Recourse to Public Funds

Acknowledgements

This protocol has been adapted with permission from

• Wolverhampton Safeguarding Board;
• Wolverhampton Health & Wellbeing Together; and
• Wolverhampton NRPF Forum

1. Why have we developed a Multi-Agency NRPF protocol?

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough looked at how we as a county worked with people who have ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’. This was as a result of the recommendations made in the Safeguarding Adults Review of Peter[1]. The aim was to bring a range of agencies together to strengthen our approach to safeguarding the welfare of children, adults and families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). The NRPF working group was a multi-agency group made up of membership from several agencies who worked with people who have NRPF. A list of member agencies can be found on page 17

It was highlighted the need to develop a protocol to support agencies across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to understand what information is needed from people with NRPF to support and signpost them to appropriate services.

It is important to remember that people with NRPF and their families can live highly precarious lives and can be subject to exploitation.

Where there are immediate concerns regarding safeguarding children or adults at risk, these take priority over NRPF issues.

By developing a protocol, creating online information resources on NRPF and developing free online training on NRPF for partners (https://safeguardingcambspeterborough.org.uk/home/covid-19/e-learning-during-covid-19/no-recourse-to-public-funds/), Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are now better equipped to support people with No Recourse to Public Funds.

2. Introduction

The Immigration Act 2016 details local authority support for certain destitute migrant families and care leavers with NRPF and the duty to conduct Human Rights Assessments in some circumstances.

This Multi-Agency Protocol provides a framework for partners across the county to draw upon when supporting a child or an individual adult or family with NRPF.

The purpose of the Protocol is to:

• Support partners to ask the right questions of people who may have No Recourse to Public Funds
• Understand what support people with NRPF are able to access
• Know where to access further information, both for themselves as professionals and for the people they are serving

3. Types and Definitions of NRPF

No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) applies to migrants who are ‘subject to immigration control’. Most migrants with NRPF are not entitled to certain welfare benefits, Local Authority housing or homelessness assistance and do not have the right to work. Individuals and their dependent families with the following types of immigration status generally have NRPF:

Asylum Seeker

A person with asylum seeker status has access to asylum support money but cannot claim public funds.

Refused Asylum Seeker

A refused or failed asylum seeker is someone whose claim for asylum or claim under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights has been refused and any subsequent appeals have been unsuccessful. Unsuccessful asylum seekers are often referred to as ‘appeals rights exhausted (ARE)’.

Visa overstayer or illegal entrant

An overstayer is someone who has remained beyond his or her leave to remain.

An illegal entrant is a person who:

• unlawfully enters or seeks to enter in breach of a deportation order or the immigration laws; or
• enters or seeks to enter by means of deception.

Leave to enter or remain in the UK with NRPF

Leave to enter or remain in the UK applies to those who have been admitted to the UK with a time limit on their stay and have been granted spouse visa, student visa, limited leave granted under family or private life rules, or have successfully applied to the Home Office under the Zambrano rule.

‘Separated’ children or young people from non-suspensive appeal countries whom the Home Office does not grant either refugee status or humanitarian protection, and are given 30 months’ leave to remain or until they turn 17.5 years old, whichever is shorter

If a person has leave to enter or remain with the NRPF condition then this will be specified on their residence permit, entry clearance vignette or biometric residence permit (BRP), as it will say ‘no public funds’.

EU/EEA Nationals

Settled status – a new provision for EEA Nationals who have lived in the UK for 5 years or more to acquire Indefinite Leave to Remain which allows them to continue to live and work in the UK and access welfare benefits and housing assistance.

Pre-settled status – a new provision for EEA Nationals who have lived in the UK for less than 5 years to acquire Limited Leave to Remain which allows them to continue to live and work in the UK for up to five years.

The following link gives more information about ‘settled status’ and ‘pre-settled status’ and the deadlines for applications: www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/what-settled-and-presettled-status-means

Currently, pre-settled EU/EEA nationals can live and work in the UK however, in order to access means-tested benefits and housing assistance they would need to be exercising their Treaty rights i.e. they are working or self-employed. Some people who cease working or self-employment may be able to keep their worker or self-employed status and access means-tested benefits, but only for up to 6 months.

Family members of EU/EEA nationals only have access to public funds if they are either associated with EU/EEA nationals who are exercising treaty rights or through their own status (e.g. married to a British national).

Derivative Rights of residence

A person from the European Economic Area (EEA) may have NRPF but is eligible for a derivative rights residence card if he or she is living in the UK and is one of the following:

• The primary carer of someone who has the right to live in the UK
• The child of a primary carer of someone who has the right to live in the UK
• The child of a former worker from the EEA and who is at school, college or university in the UK.

Spouse Visa (UK marriage visa)

A spouse visa allows married partners of UK citizens to immigrate to the UK because they are married to someone who is settled in the UK, i.e. a person who is originally resident in the UK and has no immigration restrictions on how long they can stay in the UK (a British Citizen or a person who has obtained an indefinite leave to remain).

Spouse visa and has separated from partner

A person on a spouse visa does not have recourse to public funds as he or she has only been granted a visa as a dependent of their spouse.

Student Visa

A person can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK if they are 16 years old or over. Individuals or families on a student visa do not qualify for welfare benefits and they do not have the right to work. To be eligible for a student visa, the student must have an unconditional offer on a course and have sufficient funds to cover this period of study, prior to starting the course.

Work Permit Visa

A person with a work permit visa has the right to work in the UK but does not have recourse to public funds.

4. Policy, Practice and Partnership in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Regardless of immigration status or entitlement to public funds, the safeguarding of children and adults at risk remains of paramount importance. The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) is the single point of contact for all safeguarding and early intervention concerns and for requests for support regarding children and young people. The MASH is the single point of contact for triaging and assessing all safeguarding concerns regarding adults in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough. Outside of safeguarding issues, social care are prevented from supporting adults by law, unless there is a potential breach of human rights.

4.1 Effective Support for Children and Families in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (Threshold) Document

Effective Support for Children and Families in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (Threshold) Document is published by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Partnership Board in line with national statutory guidance.

Its purpose is to assist everyone involved in making decisions about the most appropriate support to provide to children, young people and their families in relation to different levels of need. It also clarifies how various levels of support can be accessed as a new threshold of need is reached.

The guidance is in place to ensure:

• more effective support to all children, young people and their families across the entire range of need at the earliest opportunity
• equitable and consistent delivery of appropriate support
• compliance with statutory requirements.

This document must be read alongside Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Partnership Board (CPSCPB) procedures that reflect the legal framework, underpinning work with children to promote their welfare and prevent abuse.

The Effective Support for Children and Families in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (Threshold) Document and accompanying procedures are available at: https://www.safeguardingcambspeterborough.org.uk/children-board/professionals/lscbprocedures/

4.2 NRPF National Practice Guidance for Local Authorities

The NRPF Network (https://nrpfnetwork.org.uk/) provides general guidance for Local Authorities.

Children and Families

Assessing and Supporting Children and Families who have No Recourse to Public Funds (http://guidance.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/reader/practice-guidance-families/) provides a reference for Local Authorities to use when applying statutory duties and powers. This is in relation to safeguarding the welfare of children in households where parents have NRPF and require accommodation and/or financial assistance to avoid destitution.

Such assistance can only be provided to families under s17 of the Children Act 1989, where there is a Child in Need. It addresses the additional considerations that need to be made when determining whether assistance under s17 can be provided to a family with NRPF, as the parents’ immigration status will affect what support options may be available.

Adults

Assessing and Supporting Adults who have No Recourse to Public Funds (http://guidance.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/reader/practice-guidance-adults/) provides a reference for Local Authorities when applying statutory duties and powers in relation to providing housing and financial support to vulnerable adults with NRPF.

The guidance outlines some of the specific considerations that must be made when assessing and meeting needs of people with NRPF under the Care Act 2014, applying discretionary powers and implementing exclusions to support that affect people with certain nationalities and immigration status types.

5. Myth-busting NRPF and availability of financial support

NRPF is a term which can be easily misinterpreted. It implies that people with NRPF status have no access to public funds whatsoever, but this is not always the case.

Non-Public funds that a person with NRPF can claim

Adults who are subject to immigration control may be able to access the following funds (which are not defined as public funds) if they meet the eligibility criteria:

• Child Maintenance
• Concessionary travel passes
• Education and student finance (Student loans and grants)
• Free school meals
• Government funded childcare
• Housing Association tenancy
• Legal aid
• NHS treatment:
  • GP services
  • NHS Walk-in centres
  • Treatment for contagious diseases
  • A&E treatment at hospital
• Social services assistance
• Work related Welfare Benefits:
  • Contribution-based
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
  • Retirement Pension
  • Widow’s Benefit*
  • Bereavement Benefit*
  • Maternity Allowance
  • Guardian’s Allowance
  • Statutory Maternity Pay
  • Statutory Sick Pay

^{* As of 6 April 2017 these have been replaced by bereavement support payment}

For further information please visit: http://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/information/Pages/not-public-funds.aspx

Public Funds that a person with NRPF cannot claim

In most cases, people with NRPF would not be eligible to claim the following, although some exceptions apply:

• Welfare benefits
  • Attendance allowance
  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Child Benefit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Council Tax Benefit
  • Council Tax Reduction
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Discretionary welfare payment made by a Local Authority
  • Housing Benefit
  • Income-based Employment Support Allowance
  • Income-based Job seeker’s Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Severe Disablement Allowance
  • Social Fund payment
  • State Pension Credit
  • Universal Credit
  • Working Tax Credit
• Housing
  • An allocation of Local Authority housing provided under the Housing Act 1996
  • An allocation of a Housing Association property provided via the Local Authority rehousing list
  • Local Authority homelessness assistance provided under the Housing Act 1996

For further information please visit: http://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/information/Pages/public-funds.aspx

6. No Recourse to Public Funds and Access to NHS Services

Overview:

NHS treatment is not classed as a public fund for immigration purposes and can be accessed by anyone regardless of their immigration status, including a person who is subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF) condition.

However, a person’s immigration status will affect whether they are required to pay for some types of treatment. This document sets out further details of the circumstances a person with the NRPF condition can access health and social care services and when charges may be applicable.

The NHS Charging Regulations

The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015, as amended in 2017 and 2020, sets out the legal basis for when access to healthcare services in England may be chargeable.

The Charging Regulations apply to England only.

Ordinary Residence:

The NHS is a residency-based healthcare system and eligibility for relevant services without charge is based on the concept of ‘ordinary residence’. An overseas visitor is any person who is not ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK.

A person will be ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK when that person is:

• In the UK lawfully
• Is here voluntarily, and
• Us here for settled purposes as part of their life for the time being (whether long or short duration)

In addition, persons who are subject to immigration control must also have indefinite leave to remain in the UK to be ‘ordinarily resident’. In the case of an EU or EFTA citizens living in the UK on or before 31 December 2020, has by 30 June 2021, applied for/been granted status under the EUSS.

The Charging Regulations place a legal obligation on providers of relevant services to establish whether a person is an overseas visitor to whom charges apply, or whether they are exempt from such charges.

Prior to 23 October 2017, this obligation only applied to NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and local authorities exercising public health functions in England, but since then it also applies to any provider of relevant services including non-NHS organisations, such as private and voluntary providers supplying relevant services.

Relevant Services:

Relevant services mean accommodation, services of facilities which are provided, or whose provision is arranged, under the National Health Service Act 2006, except for primary medical, dental, or ophthalmology services, or equivalent services provided under the same Act.

Relevant Bodies:

Those organisations which are required to make and recover charges under the Charging Regulations are referred to as relevant bodies.

Exempt Services

There are a number of services which are free of charge to patients whether they are ordinarily resident in the UK or not.

For example:

• Accident and Emergency (A&E) services, including all A&E services provided at an NHS hospital (i.e. A&E department, walk-in centre, minor injuries unit or urgent care centre).
• Family planning services
• Diagnosis and treatment of specified infectious diseases
• Diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
• Palliative care services provided by a registered palliative care charity or a community interest company
• Services that are provided the by NHS 111 telephone line
• Treatment required for a physical or mental health condition caused by:
  • Torture
  • Female genital mutilation
  • Domestic violence
  • Sexual violence

Except where the patient has travelled to the UK for the purpose of seeking that treatment.

Primary Care

Primary care is usually delivered through GP practices and NHS walk-in centres.

Under the definition of relevant services, these services are accessible by everyone without charge.

Regardless of immigration status, everyone in England is entitled to register with a GP. Not having a fixed address or not having an NHS number should not be a barrier to someone registering at a GP practice.

Ambulatory Care

All Accident and Emergency services and services provided by NHS 111 telephone advice line are exempt from the Charging Regulations and therefore available to everyone free of charge.

However, this does not include any emergency services provided after a patient has been accepted as an inpatient, or at a follow-up outpatient appointment. Where emergency treatment is given after admission to the hospital, (e.g. in intensive care or coronary care) it is chargeable notwithstanding the pathway the patient took to become an inpatient.

Secondary Care

Most treatment provided in a hospital setting is chargeable to those who are not exempt from charges. A person will be exempt if they belong to one of the following exempt categories:

• Those who have paid the health surcharge or are covered by transitional arrangements
• Those with entitlement under an EU/EFTA reciprocal healthcare agreement
• Vulnerable patients and those detained (e.g. asylum seekers, those granted asylum, humanitarian protection or temporary protection under the Immigration Rules, individuals receiving s.95 support of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999)
• UK Government employees and war pensioners
• Those covered by other reciprocal healthcare arrangements and other international obligations

Immediately Necessary, Urgent, Non-Urgent Treatment

Since 23 October 2017, relevant bodies are required to recover the estimated cost of treatment from overseas visitors in full and in advance of providing them unless doing so would prevent or delay the provision of immediately necessary (i.e. to save their life, to prevent a condition becoming immediately life threatening, or to prevent permanent serious damage) or urgent services (i.e. those which cannot wait until the person can be reasonably expected to leave the UK).

Care which is clinically considered non-urgent must be paid for in full before it is provided.

Maternity Care

Due to the associated severe health risks, all maternity services are treated as being immediately necessary. Whether a person has the means to pay for maternity services of not, their access to care will not be affected.

Prescription, Dentistry and Ophthalmology Charges

Charges for prescriptions, primary dental services and primary ophthalmic services in England are set out separately to the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations.

Generally, charges may apply unless that person meets particular exemption criteria for the service being delivered. Those with the NRPF condition in receipt of local authority support will not receive free prescriptions unless they fall into one of these exempt groups.

However, those who are not exempt from paying prescription charges may be entitled to full or partial help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.

The NHS Low Income Scheme covers:

• NHS prescriptions
• NHS dental treatment
• Sight tests, glasses, and contact lenses
• Travel to received NHS treatment
• NHS wigs and fabric supports

Further Guidance

For information about access to healthcare, contact:

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Call: 0330 355 1285 (9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 3.30pm Friday)

Text: 0752 0635 176

Post: Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Maple Centre, 6 Oak Drive, Huntingdon PE29 7HN

Email: enquiries@healthwatchcambspboro.co.uk

www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk

www.healthwatchpeterborough.co.uk

NHS: How do I register with a GP? – www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/doctors/Documents/how-to-register-with-a-gp-leaflet.pdf

NHS: Low Income Scheme – www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/nhs-low-income-scheme-lis/

The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations, 2015 – www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/238/pdfs/uksi_20150238_en.pdf

Guidance on implementing the overseas visitor charging regulations, February 2021 – www.assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upload

Doctors of the World UK, in partnership with COVID-19 Infographics, MedAct and Migrants Organise, has produced accessible, translated infographics on migrants’ right to healthcare and are currently available in 13 languages: English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Dari, Gujarati, Hindi, Sorani Kurdish, Persian, Punjabi, Somali, Tamil and Tigrinya. – https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/infographics-migrants-right-to-healthcare/

Letter about access to Covid-29 vaccination and GP’s – https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1004576/PHE_COVID-19_vaccination_migrant_invitation_letter_English-_FINAL__003_.pdf

Health publications in various languages https://www.healthpublications.gov.uk/ArticleOverview.html?sp=Spublicationasset&sp=Sreset

7. Organisational Responsibilities

7.1 Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Families with No Recourse to Public Funds Policy

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Authority have produced a policy outlining the statutory duties and powers that the Local Authority has in relation to keeping children safe. https://www.proceduresonline.com/cambspeterborough/cs/p_no_recourse_public.html

This policy outlines the application of these duties and powers to children whose parents have NRPF status and single adults with NRPF status.

The Families with NRPF Policy is in place to assist practitioners working with children, young people and their families to assess the appropriate support and necessary actions they must take where they have no recourse to public funds and to ensure that interventions are legally robust, fair and consistent.

7.2 Children and Families with NRPF

Children and families with NRPF status can live happily and well in the community without needing any support from statutory agencies.

Responsibilities of All Partners

Partner agencies should only notify the local authority if they consider the child or family with NRPF requires support in the following areas:

• accommodation and subsistence (as per NRPF Network Practice Guidance- see 4.2)
• Early Intervention Services
• support associated with ‘Child in Need’
• an intervention where there are immediate safeguarding concerns (as per Effective Support for Children and Families in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (Threshold) Document – see section 4).

When a partner agency identifies a family with NRPF who has a Social Worker in another Local Authority, a notification, with consent from the family, should be sent by the partner agency to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) for information only.

Where possible, the name of the responsible Local Authority and contact details of the Social Worker should be provided.

If partner agencies are in direct communication with the responsible Local Authority, the responsible Authority should be reminded to contact Cambridgeshire County Council or Peterborough City Council as per the NRPF Network good practice guidance – Assessing and Supporting Children and Families with NRPF. http://guidance.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/reader/practice-guidance-families/

If partner agencies believe the responsible Authority is not fulfilling its duties, partner agencies can escalate their concerns through their local Safeguarding Lead and the relevant Local Authority.

If the family moves out of Cambridgeshire or Peterborough, partner agencies should inform the MASH.

Responsibilities of Specific Partners

For specific partners, there are some key actions that can be taken:

Health

• Enable GP registration to take place
• Enable receipt of emergency treatment (e.g. A&E)
• Provide Health Visitor support for families with children under 5 years of age
• Undertake a health assessment for all children in families with NRPF who are considered ‘Children in Need’
• Provide details of relevant voluntary sector organisations (see Chapter 8).

Social Care

• Undertake financial and accommodation needs assessment in line with eligibility criteria e.g. where CCC or PCC is the responsible authority
• Undertake a Child in Need assessment if appropriate
• Liaise with District Housing teams for support with families eligible for accommodation assistance.

Housing

• District Housing teams provide support to Children’s Services to identify suitable accommodation in line social care’s assessed needs of the family. Support can include identification of suitable landlords or a review of property standards.

Voluntary Sector

• Provide advice (including legal, immigration)
• Provide food, clothes, emotional support
• Provide refuge for families fleeing domestic violence.

Safeguarding Children

If you are concerned that a child under the age of 18 years is in danger of neglect or abuse, or the child or family need help, please contact Cambridgeshire and Peterborough MASH on:

0345 045 5203 (during office hours)

01733 234724 (out of office hours)

In an emergency, always dial 999.

7.3 Adults with NRPF

Many adults with NRPF live happily and well within the community without needing any support from statutory agencies.

Responsibilities of All Partners

Social care can only help in very limited circumstances. Initially, it is important to establish an individual’s immigration status as quickly as possible.

Establishing immigration status

Social workers should attempt to establish the family’s immigration status as part of the assessment process by contacting the Home Office. https://www.gov.uk/check-immigration-status

Local authorities have a duty to inform the Home Office of anyone who is unlawfully present in the UK or is a failed asylum seeker and has approached the local authority for assistance. This can be done via the same enquiry process.

The Home Office will confirm whether the family are British citizens, or whether they are persons subject to immigration control and with no recourse to public funds, and whether they have outstanding asylum or human rights claims, applications or appeals pending at the Home Office.

Adults with NRPF:

• If an adult with NRPF has safeguarding needs, including where they have been trafficked into the country, he or she should be referred to MASH using the ‘Safeguarding Adult Referral Form’
• If an adult with NRPF has care and support needs, he or she should be referred to Adult Social Care by using the ‘Safeguarding Adult Referral Form’
• If an adult with NRPF is in the country on a Spousal Visa and fleeing domestic violence he or she should be directed to apply for the Destitution Domestic Violence (DDV) Concession. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/737469/dv-notification-form-31-08-18.pdf

Responsibilities of Specific Partners

For specific partners, there are some key actions that can be taken:

Health

• Enable GP registration to take place
• Enable receipt of emergency treatment (e.g. A&E)
• Provide details of relevant voluntary sector organisations (see Chapter 8).

Social Care

Support from Adult Social Care will only be offered on an emergency basis whilst necessary assessments are undertaken. In most circumstances continued support from Adult Social Care is only available for those where there would be a potential breach of human rights if eligible care needs were not met.

Social Care will:

• Provide support to adults with NRPF who are in the UK on a Spousal Visa and fleeing domestic violence
• Establish whether the adult with NRPF is eligible for support and subsistence by undertaking a Care Act Assessment to establish eligible care needs and destitution.

The Local Authority is prevented from supporting adults who are failed asylum seekers, overstayers, unlawfully present and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals with no right to reside. The only exception to this is when the adult has eligible care needs and a lack of support is likely to result in a breach of their human rights.

Please note: the restriction on supporting adults with NRPF does not apply to people with s117 status under the Mental Health Act.

Housing

• District Housing teams provide support to Adult Social Care to identify suitable accommodation in line with social care’s assessed needs of the individual. Support can include identification of emergency accommodation.

Voluntary Sector

• Provide advice (including legal, immigration)
• Provide food, clothes, emotional support
• Provide refuge for eligible adults fleeing domestic violence.

Safeguarding Adults

If you are concerned about an adult, aged 18 years or above, who has care and support needs, please call below:

Cambridgeshire Adult Social Care – 0345 045 5202 (during office hours)

Peterborough Adult Social Care – 01733 747474 (during office hours)

01733 234724 (out of office hours)

In an emergency, always dial 999.

8. Checklist

The aim of this checklist is to provide a simple set of questions for professionals to find out more about those affected by NRPF and identifying appropriate support services to meet their needs.

1. What is your nationality?
2. What is your immigration status?
3. When did you arrive in the UK
4. How and when did you arrive in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough?
5. Are you being supported by another Local Authority? If yes, which one.
6. Have you spoken to anyone at the Cambridgeshire County Council or Peterborough City Council?
7. Do you have a social worker? If yes, please provide their details.
8. What is your family status? Single? Married? Co-habiting
9. Does anyone live with you?
10. Do you have any children? Do they live with you?
11. Do your children go to school? Which school/s do they go to
12. Do you or your family have a GP? If yes, please provide their details.
13. What help do you or your family need?

9. Other sources of support and information

The following link has been provided to help agencies signpost people with NRPF status to access additional support or service: https://cambridgeshireinsight.org.uk/housing/priority-themes/housing-need/no-recourse-to-public-funds/

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Partnership Board have produced a Virtual Briefing on NRPF https://www.safeguardingcambspeterborough.org.uk/home/covid-19/e-learning-during-covid-19/no-recourse-to-public-funds/

The PHE National Migrant Health Team have produced two animations aimed at healthcare professionals in England explaining the entitlements to NHS services and to vaccination for migrants in England. Both animations are aimed at healthcare professionals who support migrants in their practice. Further details are provided below.

• Clarifying NHS entitlements for migrants , which consists of six short sections:

• Section 1- Introduction to Entitlements for Migrants
• Section 2- Karman’s Story (case study provided by Doctors of the World)
• Section 3- NHS Entitlements to Primary Care in England
• Section 4- NHS Entitlements to Secondary Care in England
• Section 5- Dental Treatment for Migrants in England
• Section 6- Assessing New Patients from Overseas

• Keeping up to date with vaccinations for migrants.

These animated resources address recommendations arising from a stakeholder engagement exercise to improve the Migrant Health Guide NHS entitlements page, done in 2019, which asked for more clarity about NHS entitlements and to adopt a more culturally sensitive approach. These outputs will also complement a suite of PHE and NHSE/I COVID-19 vaccination resources (for the general public) being made available to mitigate vaccination inequalities.

There is also a useful toolkit that can be used to try and establish the position of someone in the immigration system. You can use this tool if you are a person needing help, adviser, or local authority practitioner considering an application for social services support. This is available from NRPF network, at https://migrantfamilies.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough have developed a basic virtual training briefing on NRPF. This provides an overview of who has NRPF and what services are available to them. It takes approximately 15 – 20 minutes to watch, https://safeguardingcambspeterborough.org.uk/home/covid-19/e-learning-during-covid-19/no-recourse-to-public-funds/.

10. Membership of the NRPF Working Group

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NRPF working group have developed this protocol. Membership of the working group includes the following organisations;

• Cambridgeshire County Council
• Peterborough City Council
• Fenland District Housing
• East Cambridgeshire District Council
• Cambridge City District Council
• Peterborough & Cambridgeshire Safeguarding Partnership Boards
• Department of Work & Pensions
• Light Project – Peterborough
• Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services
• Healthwatch
• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Foundation Trust
• Cambridgeshire Clinical Commissioning Group
• Kingsgate Church
• Women’s Aid
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• British Red Cross
• Aspire Recovery Service Peterborough (CGL)

[1] https://www.safeguardingcambspeterborough.org.uk/portfolio-item/safeguarding-adults-review-peter/

Published: September 2021
Review: September 2023