The Asylum Support Regulations 2000

Kind and levels of support for essential living needs

10.—(1) This regulation applies where the Secretary of State has decided that asylum support should be provided in respect of the essential living needs of a person.

(2) As a general rule, asylum support in respect of the essential living needs of that person may be expected to be provided weekly in the form of vouchers redeemable for goods, services and cash whose total redemption value, for any week, equals the amount shown in the second column of the following Table opposite the entry in the first column which for the time being describes that person.

TABLE

Qualifying couple	£57.37
Lone parent aged 18 or over	£36.54
Single person aged 25 or over	£36.54
Single person aged at least 18 but under 25	£28.95
Person aged at least 16 but under 18 (except a member of a qualifying couple)	£31.75
Person aged under 16	£26.60

(3) In paragraph (1) and the provisions of paragraph (2) preceding the Table, “person” includes “couple”.

(4) In this regulation—

(a) “qualifying couple” means a married or unmarried couple at least one of whom is aged 18 or over and neither of whom is aged under 16;

(b) “lone parent” means a parent who is not a member of a married or unmarried couple;

(c) “single person” means a person who is not a parent or a member of a qualifying couple; and

(d) “parent” means a parent of a relevant child, that is to say a child who is aged under 18 and for whom asylum support is provided.

(5) Where the Secretary of State has decided that accommodation should be provided for a person (or couple) by way of asylum support, and the accommodation is provided in a form which also meets other essential living needs (such as bed and breakfast, or half or full board), the amounts shown in the Table in paragraph (2) shall be treated as reduced accordingly.

(6) The redemption value of the vouchers redeemable for cash which the Secretary of State may be expected to include in the asylum support provided for any week in accordance with paragraph (2) may, as a general rule, be expected not to exceed £10 per person (or, as the case may be, £20 per qualifying couple).