Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 31
31
Paragraph: 126
We support the NAO’s recommendation that the Government should consider whether its performance framework effectively...
Recommendation
We support the NAO’s recommendation that the Government should consider whether its performance framework effectively incentivises providers to move service users into dispersal accommodation within agreed timescales; the Government should also reassess the value for money provided by contingency accommodation in hotels and the contractual requirement for initial accommodation provision within the asylum establishment, in light of demand. The Government should consult service users, local authorities, health service and third sector partners as part of this review, to ensure that lived experience of the service is taken into account in this review.
Paragraph Reference:
126
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
From the autumn of 2016, the Home Office engaged extensively with strategic stakeholders, including Strategic Migration Partnerships, Local Authorities and Non-Government new AASC & AIRE contracts. user experience and deliver value for money. This includes a requirement for providers to develop close working relationships with the Local Authorities in which Service Users are accommodated, to support the effective coordination of provider and Local Authority delivered services, acting in the best interests of Service Users. The new contracts also include clearly defined performance standards measured through a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set within a wider Performance Management Regime (PMR) that ensures the safety and wellbeing of all Service Users. There are strict time limits associated with the expected movement of service users from initial accommodation to dispersal accommodation. Failure to meet those time limits could result in service credits being applied through financial deduction from monthly invoices. to ensure that Service Users remain at the heart of the services and that over their life Continuous Improvement is enshrined in this work to enable providers to share best practise and learn from each other. There are no plans to review or redesign the delivery model of asylum contracts at this point. The Home Office and its providers will continue to work with local authorities on the placement of asylum seekers within their areas to understand the pressures and opportunities and develop plans over the longer term. This will allow local authorities to continue to shape the provision of service in their area and to ensure the impacts of dispersal on local communities and services are considered when allocating accommodation. 12 Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (coronavirus): institutional accommodation: