Section 116: Amendment of section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948
340.This section removes all persons subject to immigration control (as defined in section 115) from entitlement to assistance under community care legislation (the National Assistance Act 1948), if their need for assistance arises solely because they are, or about to become, destitute. These provisions have hitherto been relied upon by single, destitute, asylum seekers: these people will in future be entitled to assistance under Part VI of the Act. Asylum seekers who need care and attention for more specific reasons (such as a particular physical disability or mental health problem) will retain that entitlement.