Asylum Seekers - After the asylum decision

If you are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection you are no longer defined as a person subject to immigration control and you can claim all benefits, as long as you meet the other conditions for those benefits.  

If you are granted leave outside the immigration rules (such as discretionary leave) check if your leave is subject to a ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition:  

• If your leave is not subject to a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition you are not defined as a person subject to immigration control and you can claim all benefits, as long as you meet the other conditions for those benefits.  
• If your leave is subject to a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition you continue to be defined as a 'person subject to immigration control' and excluded from benefits on that basis. You should seek immigration advice to see if this condition can be removed.

There are some specific benefits rules that can make it easier to claim benefits if you have been granted refugee leave or humanitarian protection or leave outside the rules (without a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition).

If your asylum claim is refused you need to get urgent immigration advice about challenging that decision.  You may be entitled to asylum support while your asylum appeal is pending. 

If all your asylum appeals have been refused, you may be entitled to ‘Section 4 Asylum Support’. This is accommodation and financial support to meet essential needs provided by the Home Office.  It is not possible to just have the financial support without the accommodation (unlike asylum support payable during your asylum claim and appeals).