Asylum seekers and the law
Under the ‘dispersal arrangements’ of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and the subsequent Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2000, local authorities are obliged to provide support and accommodation to asylum seekers. Asylum seekers are dispersed throughout Britain by the Borders and Immigration Agency (BIA), a section of the Home Office.
In April 2000 South Tyneside, as part of the now North East Contracting Consortium for Asylum Support (NECCAS), entered into a contract with the Home Office. This is to provide accommodation and support to families who are recognised as asylum seekers under the United Nations Geneva Convention of 1951.