There are several different ways that a person can confirm their immigration status in order to show that they can access public funds.
Many people now have a digital status, rather than a physical document. Currently, a person will have a digital status if they have an eVisa, or have been granted leave under the EU Settlement Scheme, or used the ‘UK Immigration ID check’ to prove their identity when they applied for their visa. They can get a share code to prove their immigration status and entitlements by using the Home Office view and prove service.
Physical immigration status documents including BRPs and visa endorsement stickers (vignettes) will cease being issued and are being replaced by eVisas. Individuals who possess physical status documents are being invited to set up a UKVI account to facilitate their transition to an eVisa.
Government departments, the NHS, and councils using NRPF Connect, can access a person’s digital status automatically in order to confirm the person's immigration status and whether they can access benefits or local authority housing assistance.
There will be some instances where it appears from a person's digital status that they can access public funds but they may not be eligible to claim certain benefits. This would apply to a person with pre-settled status or a pending EU Settlement Scheme application, who can only access means-tested benefits and local authority housing assistance if they meet a right to reside test.
It is important that a person with a digital status informs the Home Office when any of their personal details change.
A person may have an immigration document, which confirms their immigration status, such as a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or Home Office letter.
An immigration document will usually state the length of a person's leave and whether the person is subject to any immigration conditions. For example, a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) will state ‘no public funds’ on the reverse side when a person has leave to remain with a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) condition. There will be no statement on a BRP if the holder has access to public funds.
Most immigration documents will not be accepted as valid proof of a person's immigration status after 31 December 2024.
There may be some instances when a person does not have a document or digital status to prove their immigration status. For example, European Economic Area nationals, and nationals of certain other countries, who have entered the UK as a visitor through e-gates will not have a stamp in their passport or any other immigration documentation. Some long-term residents may have indefinite leave to remain or the right of abode in the UK but do not have a document to confirm their status. A person who cannot prove their immigration status should not automatically be refused a service without further investigation into their circumstances to ensure that they are not wrongly denied a service they might be entitled to.
