When a person with no recourse to public funds is accommodated on an emergency basis, such as under SWEP, the council or accommodation provider should consider a move-on plan.
This will usually involve an assessment of the person’s individual circumstances and any move-on pathways will need to be identified. Before ending the provision of emergency accommodation, the person should be supported to access any available alternative accommodation. This includes establishing whether the local authority may have any statutory duties or powers to meet the person's housing needs and referring to adult social care or children’s social care for the relevant assessments. See our information on social care support for adults with NRPF and social care support for families with NRPF.
Other accommodation options may include:
Services will also need to establish a person's immigration status to ensure that any support entitlements and pathways are correctly identified. It is also likely that the person will need to be signposted to immigration advice. For example, when a person has no lawful status in the UK, it is important that they access immigration advice to understand what options may be available to them.
If a person has no onward immigration options and/or wishes to return to their country of origin, they may be able to access support with return from the Home Office’s voluntary returns service.
Page updated: 04 July 2025
