legal and social conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in ...

telephone number where they can be reached at any time. Applicants who leave their centre
without notifying the centre’s personnel risk losing their right to pocket money.
Starting in 1997 the Red Cross has established an increasing number of so-called “annexes”,
consisting of small houses or apartments where families or asylum seekers who have spent more
than one year in the asylum procedure can live. Currently these “annexes” account for 15% of the
total accommodation capacity.
In addition to its normal accommodation centres, the Red Cross has established three centres for
unaccompanied minors, where specialised staff are able to take care of the children and make
recommendations as to their future placement. Finally, the Red Cross also runs a centre for
asylum seekers and families with psychological problems, resulting in particular from torture or
other traumatic experiences. The centre has specially trained personnel and a special team of
nurses and doctors.
The total capacity of the reception system varies considerably. Currently, the system has a
capacity of about 7,000 beds. In addition, the Danish Red Cross has committed itself to be ready
to provide emergency accommodation to approximately 600 asylum-seekers per week, 1,800 per
month and 12,000 per year. During the Kosovo conflict, the Red Cross accommodated some
3,000 persons within two weeks.
Financial assistance
All asylum seekers staying in the reception or accommodation centres are entitled to receive
financial assistance in the form of a clothing allowance, a food allowance and pocket money.
Assistance is granted during the entire procedure. The amounts paid vary according to age as
shown below (daily rates):
Clothing allowance
Child aged 0-13 DKK 7,50 EUR 1
Child aged 14-17 DKK 7,50 EUR 1
Adult DKK 7,50 EUR 1
Food allowance
Child aged 0-13 DKK 31,75 EUR 4.27
Child aged 14-17 DKK 35 EUR 4.70
Adult DKK 38.25 EUR 5.14
Pocket money
Child aged 0-13 DKK 6.25 EUR 0.84
Child aged 14-17 DKK 16 EUR 2.15
Adult DKK 29.75 EUR 4
Pocket money and food allowance is paid every fortnight. The clothing allowance is paid monthly
and only to those applicants who have spent 150 days in the centre. Asylum seekers are
provided with new clothing of their own choice upon arrival, if necessary.
Asylum seekers who request and are given permission to reside with family members or friends
outside the centres do not receive any financial assistance.
Pursuant to amendments to the Aliens Act adopted in 1997 and 1998, the Immigration Service
must withdraw any social assistance to asylum seekers who refuse to co-operate with the
authorities in the processing of their application. In such cases, applicants receive only food
parcels. Accommodation and access to health care are not affected. Pregnant women, children or
asylum seekers with special medical conditions are excluded from such measures. According to
the Immigration Service, 83 asylum seekers were subject to a “water-and-bread” decision in
1998.
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Denmark