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1. Overview
2. Who has no recourse to public funds (NRPF)?
3. Who has recourse to public funds?
4. EEA nationals and family members

Who has recourse to public funds?

A person who has recourse to public funds will be able to access benefits and housing assistance if they meet the relevant qualifying requirements.

A person can access public funds when they have one of the following types of immigration status:

  • Indefinite leave to enter or remain (unless they are granted indefinite leave as an adult dependent relative)
  • Right of abode
  • Exempt from immigration control
  • Refugee status
  • Humanitarian protection 
  • Leave to remain granted under the family or private life rules, where they are accepted by the Home Office as being destitute or at risk of imminent destitution
  • Hong Kong BN(O) leave, where they are accepted by the Home Office as being destitute or at risk of imminent destitution
  • Pre-settled status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme, although they will need to satisfy a right to reside test to qualify for benefits and housing assistance
  • Discretionary leave to remain, such as:
    • Leave to remain granted to a person who has received a conclusive grounds decision that they are a victim of trafficking or modern day slavery
    • Destitution domestic violence concession
    • Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Child (UASC) leave

There may be some instances when a person does not have a document to confirm their immigration status. A person in this position should not automatically be refused a service without further investigation into their circumstances to ensure that they are not wrongly denied a service they may be entitled to. 

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Immigration terms

Adult dependent relative

Adult relative of a person in the UK who is a British citizen, has settled status, refugee leave or humanitarian protection, and who requires long-term personal care  as a result of age, illness, or disability, when this care is unavailable or cannot be provided by anyone in their country of origin.
Humanitarian protection

Granted when a person is recognised as having a real risk of serious harm or well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin, but not for any reason set out under the UN Refugee Convention 1951, usually following an asylum application.
Refugee status

Granted to a person who is recognised as having a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion under the UN Refugee Convention 1951, usually following an asylum application.