UK Ministry of Justice to let Syrian refugees access to legal aid via residence exemptions

In an announcement made on Friday, the British Ministry of Justice said that it will be allowing Syrian refugees to have access to the country's legal aid by exempting them from the residence test, the Guardian said.

The newly-introduced requirements for British residents to acquire state benefits like legal aid are awarded to individuals who have lived in the UK for over a year, said the newspaper. The ministry will be exempting those who have claimed asylum in the country from the residence test up until the first 12 months. The exemption will also be applied to those who have resettled or transferred in the UK and those who were relocated under the planned vulnerable person relocation scheme for Syrians, said the Guardian.

Aside from legal aid, the Ministry of Justice will also allow childcare services to be accorded to children refugees or refugees under personal circumstances like old age, mental disability and homelessness. Moreover, included in the exemptions are members of the military and their families who had been living abroad and were forced to relocate, trafficking victims and special cases which would have children under protection.

Ministry of Justice Simon Hughes had said about the changes he had oversaw, "The coalition government has had to make hard choices about how to find savings to protect the long-term future of the legal aid system. But we have also made clear that legal aid should continue to be available for the most vulnerable. We want to continue this country's proud tradition of helping those most in need and that's why we've amended our original proposals. Today's changes make sure people here in the UK under recognized international refugee schemes, including those fleeing war-torn countries like Syria, will be exempt from the residence test. This is in addition to previous changes."

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over half a million of Syrian refugees are waiting or are currently registered, with 3,000 people seeking refugee status and assistance on a daily basis as of 2012.

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UK Ministry of Justice, Syrian refugees

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