NB: Often to access these funding and resources, families must apply for them themselves which can be a barrier to accessing what they are entitled to given language and IT barriers. Instead, schools should consider how to advertise these opportunities to families and support them to apply for them.
Please also note that not all of these funding sources will be open to every student with a forced migration backgrounds: family income, immigration status, length of time in the UK and first language may all be used to distinguish eligibility.
We will try to keep this page as up to date as possible – if you see any errors or have any additions, please get in touch to let us know.
Funding/Resources by Type
Free School Meals
Which students seeking sanctuary are eligible for FSM?
Refugee students
- Students with refugee-status, including those who have arrived through resettlement schemes are eligible for FSM on the basis of a parent/carer receiving income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, the guaranteed element of Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit, Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get).
- Ukrainians who have arrived on both the Family Visa and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme are likely to be eligible for Free School Meals as their parent/carers are entitled to claim Universal Credit on arrival. This is the same for those on the Afghan resettlement schemes and UKRS.
Asylum-Seeking Children
- Asylum support is different from mainstream welfare benefits and currently, in almost all cases people seeking asylum do not have permission to work. Children seeking asylum might therefore be eligible for Free School Meals on the basis of them receiving support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. This might include being in receipt of section 98 (emergency) support, or section 95 (ongoing) support which are available to those who are destitute and in the process of having their asylum claim assessed. Section 95 might include accommodation and subsistence support or solely subsistence support. To evidence this, families should have a letter from the National Asylum Support Service with a NASS number showing they are receiving this support. They may also have an ARC card showing they are in the process of applying for asylum. For those that don’t yet have a NASS number, they should have a Home Office letter which states their port reference number to provide as evidence of asylum seeking status.
Children affected by NRPF
Students seeking sanctuary might be affected by NRPF depending on their immigration status, including those whose asylum claims have been refused. These students then might still be eligible for Free School Meals, see: Providing free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) – GOV.UK
See the Children’s Society Information Sheet for full details: Information on No Recourse to Public Funds for School Staff and have a look at their resources for how to capture the relevant information from parents.
*Schools in England receive pupil premium funding per pupil who is eligible for free school meals or has been eligible in the past 6 years. This includes eligible children of families with no recourse to public funds.
* Schools in Scotland receive pupil equity funding per pupil who is known to be eligible for free school meals.
Uniforms
Many local authorities use discretionary funds to offer uniform grants (England/Wales). The amount offered differs between local authorities and typically either schools or families must apply for this grant from the local authority.
Holiday Activities and Food Programme (England only)
If a child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF). For those who, for whatever reason, do not receive FSMs the Local Authority has discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to cover other students in need – it is worth contacting your local authority to ask if these students can be included within this discretionary group.
EAL Funding (England only)
Most local authorities* disperse additional funding to schools based on the number of students whose first language is other than English, for a certain number of years after their first arrival in the UK. Typically, schools are eligible to apply for EAL-based funding for students who have arrived within 1-3 years.
Over recent years there is a trend towards local authorities dispersing funds close to the National Funding Formula’s values of £550 per primary student and £1,485 per secondary students. 94% of local authorities are allocating between £500 and £750 per primary pupil and 84% are allocating between £1,500 and £1,750 per secondary pupil.
* Only one LA currently does not.
See the fantastic Better Bilingual’s summary for more information: Funding for pupils with English as an additional language – latest update – Better Bilingual
Funding per Resettlement Scheme
As this funding is allocated to local authorities, it is up to local authorities to decide how to use and/or disperse some of this funding directly to schools. It may be used to cover the costs of interpreters, educational support within the local authority staff team, cover uniform costs, etc. Schools should contact their local LEA for details about the local offer.
UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) / Syrian VPR Scheme
There is one-off funding allocated to local authorities for children’s education in year one of arrival at the following rate:
Children aged 3-4 – £2250
Children aged 5-18 – £4500
Afghan Resettlement Schemes (ARAP / ACRS)
There is one-off funding allocated to local authorities for children’s education in year one of arrival at the following rate:
Children aged 3-4 – £2250
Children aged 5-18 – £4500
Homes for Ukraine
The Department for Education will allocate funding to local authorities on a per pupil basis at the following annual rates:
Early years (ages 2 to 4) – £3,000
Primary (ages 5 -11) – £6,580
Secondary (ages 11-18) – £8,755
These tariffs include support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Learn more: Homes for Ukraine education and childcare grant conditions of funding – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Specific Funding Options in the Four Nations
Northern Ireland
Schools in Northern Ireland receive additional funding for those who have come to the UK from another country and who are known as ‘newcomers’. Each school enrolling a newcomer pupil receives an additional £1000 each year (as of 2020) to help meet their needs.
Wales
Students from sanctuary seeking backgrounds might be eligible for the Pupil Development Grant depending on their families’ income level and whether they are in receipt of certain benefits. To receive this grant, families must apply to their local authority.
Scotland
TBA