A Case Study showing the work done by CARIS Haringey
Adad (not his real name) arrived in the UK from Syria in July 2012 and claimed asylum on the same day. Two months later he was granted Refugee status and was able to apply for Job Seekers’ Allowance and Housing Benefits in Hammersmith & Fulham. He then applied for his wife and four children (one of their children had been killed in the Syrian war in 2011), to join him in the UK on family re-union.
On their arrival the family was moved (by Hammersmith & Fulham) into 3 bedroomed temporary accommodation in Haringey. But this change in their circumstances meant that Adad’s JSA was stopped. Now the family had no money for food, nappies or other essentials. A friend recommended CARIS and another friend accompanied him as he spoke no English.
Adad was provided with food parcels, toiletries and nappies. The family was also given toys for his children as they had none.
CARIS contacted the local Job Centre to follow-up Adad’s benefit claim and with the help of a CARIS Advice Worker he applied for a Crisis Loan and was awarded £200. The Advice Worker contacted the DWP to follow-up on his Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit and the local Education Department for school places for the two older children.
The following week, Adad was able to report that he had received a backdated Child Benefit award of £242 and would continue to receive £60.50 a week in Child Benefits and JSA of £111.45 a week.
The family has settled in very well and the two older children have both found school places. Adad has enrolled in college and is learning English.
Case on-going
A footnote to Refugee Week