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Asylum seekers and refugees

This content applies to Scotland only.

Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. This page applies to Scotland only. Get advice relating to England

This section provides information on the housing rights of asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. It gives advice on how to access support from the UK Border Agency (formerly the National Asylum Support Service), as well as how to get help from the council if you or a member of your family needs help with an illness or disability.

This section only looks at accommodation and support for asylum seekers; it doesn't look at how to make an asylum claim. To find out more about the asylum process, visit the UK Border Agency website.

Support for asylum seekers

If you are seeking asylum in the United Kingdom then you will not be allowed to earn money by working. Instead you should be given support and accommodation by the UK government. The kind of support that is available to you will depend upon when you made your claim for asylum and the details of your case. Read more

Support from the UK Border Agency

The UK Border Agency provides support and accommodation to asylum seekers in the UK who claimed asylum on or after 3 April 2000 and either have nowhere suitable to stay or no money to cover the cost of living. This section provides information on how to access support. Read more

Eligibility for benefits

If you claimed asylum in the UK before 3 April 2000, you may be entitled to claim housing benefit and accommodation from your local council, depending on when you arrived. This section explains who can claim benefits, how to apply for accommodation, and what you can do if the rest of your family arrives in the UK after 3 April 2000. Read more

Support from the council

If you or a member of your family needs help with day-to-day tasks, you may be able to get care and support from the council. If the council has a duty to help you, it will design a care package to meet your specific needs. The council also has a duty to support asylum seekers who are under 18 and have come to the UK without their parents. Read more

Failed asylum seekers

If your claim for asylum fails, you will probably be able to get help and support from the UK Border Agency until it is possible for you to leave the country. The kind of support you receive will depend on your country of origin, whether or not you have children and when you arrived in the UK. Read more

Asylum seekers with leave to remain

If your claim for asylum has been successful and you have been told you can remain in the UK then the support you received as an asylum seeker could be stopped. Don't panic though as there are many other ways for you to access money and accommodation. This section looks at your options. Read more