CRC concluding observations 2023, paragraph 51
Plain English recommendation
Government should: (a) Remove the ‘Hostile Environment’ policy and ensure children without regular residence status can get legal help, social protection and benefits; (b) Stop categorising children without regular residence status and their families in ways that mean they cannot access services, such as ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’; (c) Introduce ways to give regular residence status to children without it and ensure they are not socially excluded.
Original UN recommendation
The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Repeal its “Hostile Environment” policy and ensure the access of children without a regular residence status to independent legal representation, social protection and welfare benefits; (b) Remove the designation of children without a regular residence status and their families into administrative categories that prevent them from accessing certain services, such as the “No Recourse to Public Funds” throughout all jurisdictions of the State party or “non-belonger” in the Overseas Territories; (c) Implement long-term solutions for the regularization of children without a regular residence status, including by ensuring that all such children in the Overseas Territories are issued identity documents, and strengthen measures to prevent their social exclusion.
Date of UN examination
18/05/2023
UN article number
22, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37 (b)–(d), 38–40
Original UN document
Download the original CRC concluding observations 2023 on the UN website.