Health and allowances
The Danish Immigration Service covers all costs of accommodation, transportation, education and health care for asylum seekers. Asylum seekers are as a rule not allowed to work and will instead receive a cash allowance every 14th days.The allowance varies depending what phase the individual asylum seeker is in, if the asylum seeker lives in a center where asylum seekers need to cover their own household expenses, if the asylum seeker has children, and if the asylum seeker is considered to co-operating with authorities about her/his case.
A person in phase 3, who has not signed the co-operation agreement and lives in Center Sjælsmark will receive 0 DKr. A family with two children in phase 2, living in an accommodation center with kitchen has to cover their own household expenses from around 4,000 DKr. received every 14th days. Among asylum seekers the cash allowance is colloquially called “pocket money” and you have to meet up in person at the asylum center in order to obtain them (in cash).
Asylum seekers do not pay for rent, electricity and heat at the asylum center (unless you have a job). Every six months, a clothing package is handed out to each asylum seeker and often asylum seekers can get a TV or a bike donated by neighbors or volunteers. Asylum seekers get no support for expenses such as hairdressers, phones and transportation. Yet, the cost of transportation to school, internship, and appointments with authorities is covered. A package with items for personal hygiene is handed out every month.
In each asylum center, there is a small health clinic where asylum seekers can talk to a nurse and a doctor by appointment. The access to health care is limited to urgent and palliative treatment. – i.e. an asylum seeker is not entitled to preventive and scheduled treatment and treatments such as surgery or psychiatrist visits are needed then the asylum seeker has to apply for surety / bail at the Danish Immigration Service to cover the expenses of the treatment. Necessary medication will be distributed for free. Children have full access to health care, but only through clinics at an asylum center. Visits to the dentist are also limited to pain relief and necessary maintenance, and for example, an asylum seeker is not entitled to have made false teeth or a bridge.