Failed Asylum Seekers Without Children

An asylum seeker who has had their asylum application rejected and has also been refused on appeal is a 'failed asylum seeker'. NASS support may be removed from failed asylum seekers, even if the Home Office has not set removal directions (i.e. arranged a flight for them to leave the country). If this happens, local authorities can only provide s 12 Social Work (Scotland) Act support if it is necessary to do so in order to avoid a breach of a person’s Convention rights or their rights under European Community law (NIAA 2002 Schedule 3, para 6), or if the person has community care needs (see section on 'Needs arising otherwise than because of destitution').

The question of whether the provisions of s 12 support would be necessary to avoid a breach of Convention Rights would probably depend in part on the availability of hard cases support.