Council Tax Being Used for Asylum Seekers

[AndyAnsell]

I live in Dudley Council in the West Midlands, where, like the rest of the country, council tax is being increased every single year by big amounts. So I asked the council, if any of this tax was being used for anything to do with asylum seekers. After months of correspondence, I was told that, "Children’s Services will spend £86,000 to support families that are in the process of applying for asylum as well as £70,000 to support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children". This money is being funded directly from our council tax! Surely this is morally wrong, and must be illegal, as every department and service in councils around the country are hugely cut. The council simply says that they can do what they want. Councils seem to be able to do whatever they want, whether it is legal or not, does not seem to bother them. If I could afford it, I would take them to court. I am sure that this is going on around the country. Any asylum seekers who are in this country, have been allowed, if legal, by central government, and should be 100% funded by central government. Why should we, who already have all services cut by our councils, pay for this through this tax?

[lgfa92]

It's down to central government, the statutory duty they place on the local authorities and how they provide the funding.

The local authority has a statutory duty to provide the services in most cases and, if central government do not fund it (as they often don't, for many things) then it has to be funded from council tax. If the local authority fails to provide statutory services then they are breaking the law.