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Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004

Section 13 : Integration loan for refugees

61.Section 13 makes provision for the Secretary of State to make regulations enabling him to make loans to refugees. For these purposes a refugee is a person who is granted refugee status and given indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom. It is intended that these loans will be made for integration purposes and will be known as refugee integration loans.

62.The regulations will prevent a person from receiving a loan if s/he is under 18, is insolvent (within the meaning given by the regulations) or has already received a refugee integration loan.

63.The regulations will also include:

  • matters which the Secretary of State must take into account when deciding whether to make a loan and in particular may relate to a person's income or assets; likely ability to repay a loan; or the length of time since a person was recorded as a refugee

  • provision for the Secretary of State to specify the minimum and/or maximum amount of a loan

  • provision about repayment of the loan which may include interest payable and repayment by deduction from a Social Security benefit

  • provision for the Secretary of State to attach conditions to a loan which might include conditions about the use of the loan

  • provision about how an application is to be made and what information must be provided

64.The regulations may also:

  • make provision about steps that the Secretary of State might take to establish an applicant's ability to repay

  • provide for a loan to be made jointly

  • confer a discretion on the Secretary of State

65.Regulations made under this section are subject to the affirmative procedure.

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