Briefing NotesObjectivesStudents should be aware of some of the services for refugees that are provided by:Local governmentNational government.Local GovernmentGovernment offers a range of services to refugees and asylum seekers. The new National Asylum Support Service means that many of the locally delivered social-security services are not dealt with by local agencies. However, this only applies whilst asylum seekers are waiting for a decision; once a decision has been made on their case, they revert to the regular system.At a local level the following services are offered. Local government may be directly involved in providing some of these, or they may play a coordinating role where direct provision is provided by others.HousingHousing AssociationsLocal Housing Authorities providing council homesRegional Consortia have been established to coordinate dispersalEducation and TrainingNursery careSchoolsFurther and higher educationLearning and skills councilsEmployment servicesWelfare BenefitsHousing benefitBenefits AgencyLegal ServicesCommunity Legal Service partnershipsHealth and Social CareSocial servicesPort health-control unitsNHSGP servicesGeneral SupportAll local agencies involved in language supportLocal-Authority community-development services.National GovernmentEach of the above areas has some level of direction and funding provided by national government, even where services are not administered centrally. The following departments are involved in providing services to refugees and asylum seekers:Home Office, including the National Asylum Support ServiceDepartment of the Environment, Transport and the RegionsDepartment for Education and EmploymentDepartment of Social SecurityLord Chancellor's DepartmentDepartment of Health.FundingAs the case-study on Dover in Option 4 demonstrates, one of the major areas of concern about accepting refugees into the UK is that of cost. Whilst some press reports have given the impression that these costs are significantly higher than in reality they are, there are obviously some expenses associated with providing the services listed above.The following figures are from the Audit Commission's report 'Another Country', dated June 2000.Between April and December 1999 local authorities spent £19 million more than they could reclaim from central government.London authorities met 92% of this £19million.Some individual boroughs were unable to reclaim up to 25% of the money they had spent on services for asylum seekers.A new funding framework now reimburses all relevant costs rather than merely setting limits for each asylum seeker (previously £140 for an adult and £240 for a family).These arrangements deal with direct services such as housing and coordination and management but they do not deal with the extra demands placed on the education and healthcare systems.The National Asylum Support Service estimates that the cost of providing such statutory services to an asylum-seeking family is approximately £4,416 per year.