The Home Office can provide accommodation and financial support to people who would otherwise be destitute while their asylum claim is being considered. The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 sets out the framework for asylum support in the UK.
The main types of asylum support are:
Asylum support may also be available to people who have made an Article 3 human rights claim.
If a person's asylum claim is declared inadmissible, they will not be eligible for section 95 support but may qualify for section 4 support.
Although the Home Office is responsible for providing accommodation and financial support to people seeking asylum and people who are appeal rights exhausted, in some circumstances, support may instead be provided by local authority social care services. See our information on:
The pages in this section explain the different types of asylum support, who qualifies, how to apply, and what happens when support is refused or discontinued.
Page updated: 13 July 2026
A person who has made a claim to the UK government for protection (asylum) under the United Nations Refugee Convention 1951 and is waiting for a decision from the Home Office or final decision from the appeal courts (following a refusal).
The status of a person whose asylum or immigration claim has been refused when they have come to the end of the appeal process without success or have no further right of appeal.
