London: NGOs say vulnerable people, including families with babies and children, are being forced into a “state of destitution” after their Aspen cards – a form of debit card issued to asylum seekers so they can buy basic supplies – stopped working. The issue has arisen after a Home Office decision to end its Aspen card contract with facilities management company Sodexo and begin a new contract with financial technology firm Prepaid Financial Services.
The transition took place over the weekend. Asylum seekers had been informed that on Saturday and Sunday they would not be able to access funds – a weekly allowance of £39.63 if they are in a house and £8 if they are in a full-board hotel – while the transfer between the old and new Aspen card took place, but that the new cards would be usable from Monday. However, charities said on Wednesday that thousands of people were either yet to receive their new cards or had been unable to activate them, leaving them without any money.
Read more: May Bulman, Independent, https://is.gd/nfprDW
