[WiLT] Southall Black Sisters No Recourse Fund

[WiL Admin]

Southall Black Sisters No Recourse Fund

Background Information

Women fleeing domestic violence desperately need emergency
accommodation, support and protection. However those subject to the
'no recourse to public funds', because of their insecure immigration
status (i.e. they are not UK residents), cannot access any form of
emergency accommodation, including refuges, as they are not able to
claim housing benefit, income support and other state benefits. They
are also prohibited from accessing any form of social housing through
the local authority. The result is that they are faced with stark
choices: leave and face destitution or stay and risk their lives.

In recognition of the plight of hundreds of women and children in this
situation, Southall Black Sisters, have, with funds provided by London
Councils and the charity Oxfam, set up a small 'last resort fund'
called the 'SBS No Recourse Fund' (SBS NRF). The fund will be used to
help accommodate and provide subsistence costs for a limited period
for women who have experienced domestic violence and have insecure
immigration status with no recourse to public funds. The funds will
also be used to help women who are victims of trafficking and
prostitution.

The funds will be allocated in the following way:
. Funds from London Councils will be used to cover emergency housing
costs and living expenses for women and children in London
. Funds from Oxfam will cover emergency housing and living expenses
for women and children outside London.

Please note that the SBS No Recourse Fund is a last resort fund. The
funds will only be open to non-governmental organisations. The overall
funds available are severely limited and will only be provided where
organisation give a commitment to assist women to pursue other avenues
of financial assistance, including legal proceedings against local
authorities. The No Recourse Funds will not be released if
organisations fail, during the period of NRF funding from SBS, to
assist women to obtain alternative funding.

The No Recourse Fund will cover the costs of emergency accommodation
and other basic living expenses to enable women and children to access
places of safety such as a refuge pending more long-term arrangements
for housing and living expenses. SBS can assist you through this
process.

The fund will pay accommodation and subsistence costs of up to £30 per
week for an adult and £10 per week for a child.

. Single women will be assisted for a maximum of 6 weeks.
. Women with children will be assisted for one week.

Application Packs

Please contact SBS for an application pack, which sets out the
criteria and conditions of eligibility in more detail You can also
download the application pack from the SBS website:
http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/norecoursefunds.html

Please also feel free to contact SBS if you need advice and assistance
in pursuing other sources of funding for women.

SBS will also be running training courses on domestic violence,
immigration and no recourse in 2009. Details will be posted on our
website and sent via email in the New Year.

Please contact:

Southall Black Sisters
SBS NO RECOURSE FUND
21 Avenue Road
Southall
Middlesex
UB1 3BL.

Email: southallblacksisters at btconnect.org.uk
Tel: 0208 571 9595
Fax Number: 0208 574 6781