Unaccompanied and Separated Young People
We want you to feel safe and welcome in Bedford Borough. We recognise that many unaccompanied asylum seeking young people have experienced difficult times and journeys on their way to the UK. You are separated from your families and may have experienced trauma in your home Country and on the journey to the UK.
There are counselling services specifically for unaccompanied asylum seeking young people and your Social Worker or Personal Advisor will help you to access these services if you would like some extra support. Your Social Worker or Personal Advisor will also help you get involved in projects for unaccompanied asylum seeking young people so you can meet new people and make new friends.
Some of the additional support available to you:
Financial Support - as a care leaver you will receive a living allowance, the Department for Education tell us how much this will be. The Leaving and After Care team will also pay costs associated with your accommodation. You are entitled to a leaving care grant of £1750; speak to your Personal Advisor about how to access this.
Legal Process – we will help you to understand what is happening and what you need to do to apply for asylum. We will help you to find legal assistance with your asylum claim and any further immigration appeals. We will provide you with travel warrants to enable you to attend solicitor or court hearings in relation to your asylum claim.
National Insurance Numbers for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Young People - You may have a National Insurance (NI for short) number printed on the back of your biometric residence permit (or BRP for short). If you do not have a National Insurance number on your BRP, you must apply for one. Your Social Worker or Personal Advisor can help you do this. You can only apply for it once you are in the UK. You must have the right to work or study in the UK to get a National Insurance number.
Education - You can access English for Speakers of Other Languages (or ESOL for short) courses at Bedford College and Barnfield College in Luton. Your Social Worker or Personal Advisor will support you to apply for the best course for you. If you live more than three miles from the College, you will be entitled to a bus-pass through your college bursary.