COUNCIL chiefs from across the UK have united to accuse the Home Office of harming the coronavirus crusade – by refusing support to migrants working to provide essential services.

Scotland’s Convention of Local Authorities (Cosla), which represents all 32 of the country’s local authorities, says Home Office rules on who is entitled to state support are “undermining the response to Covid-19, adding to the complexity and pressure on services and leaving people highly vulnerable”.

Together with equivalent agencies in England and Wales, it is calling for a temporary suspension of a controversial rule which cuts some off from sick pay, Universal Credit and housing support.

The “no recourse to public funds” condition attached to some visas has been slammed by charities and experts for pushing individuals and families into destitution. Those living under the rule are unable to access statutory sick pay, Universal Credit or mainstream housing help. The group, which includes shop staff, delivery drivers and health and social care staff, is also more likely to be in casual, zero hours or temporary work.

In a letter to Priti Patel, Cosla and the Local Government Associations of England and Wales say the refusal to provide a safety net “may push them to keep working when they should be self-isolating” and so encourages the spread of the virus.

They state: “ One in five social care workers in the UK is a migrant worker, and many of them will be subject to NRPF conditions.

“As is the case for so many throughout Britain, the unexpected shock caused by Covid-19 means they now need urgent access to the support that the rest of the population receives.”

The destitution issue is also said to be putting “intense pressure” on services in some areas, with “high numbers” of people facing homelessness.

The letter states: “Local areas are struggling to respond to this need, particularly given surging demand for destitution services among the UK-born population and council staff numbers restricted by staff being off sick with coronavirus. In cases of homelessness where a statutory duty is engaged, local authorities must offer support, but the NRPF restriction makes this process highly burdensome in times of intense pressure.”

Councillor Kelly Parry of Cosla said: “Councils are at the frontline of the humanitarian response to this unprecedented crisis. Yet, this task is being made especially challenging because of immigration rules. While government advice is, rightly, that everyone in our communities should practise social distancing and self-isolate if they show symptoms of the virus, many people subject to no recourse to public funds (NRPF) restrictions simply cannot do this.”

The Midlothian councillor went on: “There is no capacity for the extra complexity the current immigration rules are causing. Local areas are working really hard to deliver services to those in need across our communities in very challenging circumstances. Lifting the NRPF restriction would mean that all vulnerable people can access the same lifeline services regardless of immigration status – and, crucially, help us to slow the spread of the disease.”

Meanwhile, the SNP’s Stuart McDonald says UK Government-chartered flights bringing Romanian workers to farms here shows how “flawed” its immigration and Brexit policies are.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Scotland says “due to the global nature of the pandemic, growers across Scotland remain concerned that it will be extremely difficult to recruit the 10,000 workers that are required annually to undertake seasonal horticultural work”.

MP McDonald said: “I hope the UK Government will finally see the contribution migrants and so-called ‘low-skilled’ workers make to our country, and that it urgently overhauls its hostile and flawed immigration policies.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The Government is committed to supporting people through this crisis and nobody should find themselves destitute, with £1.6billion allocated to local authorities to help the most vulnerable.

“Many of the other wide-ranging coronavirus measures we have put in place are not considered public funds and therefore are available to migrants with no recourse to public funds. These range from protections for renters from evictions, a mortgage holiday for those who need it,

support for the employed and the self-employed and for those on zero-hour contracts, and support for those who are vulnerable and need assistance with access to medication and shopping.”

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