Extra £19m announced for councils handling unaccompanied asylum-seeking children

An extra £19 million will be made available next year for councils which are helping large numbers of lone children who are seeking asylum, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has said.

Mr Javid said he recognised the work of councils in looking after some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Local authorities are providing support to more than 4,500 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

Mr Javid was pressed by Tory MP Tom Pursglove, who said the children placed a particular cost pressure on certain local authorities.

The Communities Secretary said: “I’m very pleased that he has raised this issue.

“I do recognise the good work so many councils do to look after what are some of the most vulnerable people in our society, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

“So one thing that I am doing today is making £19 million available next year, an additional £19 million, to help those local authorities most affected help some of these most vulnerable people.”

Corby MP Mr Pursglove had asked the minister: “I certainly welcome a fundamental review of local government finance, and particularly the fairer funding commitment.

“But is there any particular help coming down the track for local authorities that are particularly affected by the issues of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, that places a particular cost pressure on those local authorities such as Northamptonshire County Council?”

_{Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2017, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) Gareth Fuller / PA Wire.}