Under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, International Protection Applicants are provided with material reception conditions, including housing, food, clothing and a Daily Expenses Allowance (DEA).
International protection applicants do not have access to standard social welfare, housing benefits or emergency homeless accommodation.
Not all international protection applicants take up IPAS accommodation, nor are they obliged to, and some applicants make their own accommodation arrangements.
When people seeking international protection take up an offer of accommodation at an IPAS accommodation centre, they are provided with the ‘IPAS House Rules’ which explains the rules and procedures that are designed to make reception and accommodation centres safe and effective.
Where a resident is repeatedly in breach of the house rules or, following a particularly serious breach, IPAS may relocate them to another accommodation centre. Usually there are a series of reminders about the house rules and or warnings.? If breaches continue, it can be necessary to relocate people following repeated warnings.
In these circumstances IPAS engages directly with the people concerned and the centre management. Any resident who is moved to another centre is required to follow the house rules at that centre.
In instances where there are serious or repeated breaches of the house rules, consideration may be given under Section 7 of the Regulations to amending the reception conditions afforded to a resident. This involves withdrawing IPAS accommodation.
In circumstances where reception conditions are amended, the person will be provided with a letter from IPAS explaining why their reception conditions have been amended, that no further IPAS accommodation will be provided. They are also informed of their right to appeal the decision within 10 working days by email.
