Housing Advice for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

An asylum seeker is someone who has made a formal application for asylum/protection in the UK, and is awaiting a decision about their status. If their application is accepted, they become a refugee. By law, anyone has the right to apply for asylum/protection and remain in the UK until a decision on their application has been made. Asylum seekers cannot normally work in the UK, cannot claim benefits, and are not eligible for social housing. The is responsible for supporting asylum seekers.

A refugee is a person who has a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, and has been granted indefinite or exceptional leave to remain in the UK. The definition comes from the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. A refugee is normally eligible to apply for social housing, but they do not gain any special priority for being refugees.

We do not have many homelessness or housing advice approaches from asylum seekers or refugees. If you are an asylum seeker or refugee and you need housing advice, the law can be complex. You may wish to contact Refugee Action, who are specialists in this field.