People with no recourse to public funds who are experiencing financial hardship may be able to access occasional support or get assistance from charities, their local council, or a food bank. Availability of assistance will vary at a local level so we are not able to list all organisations that may be able to help people with no recourse to public funds. Instead, we have provided some links to help people find services in their local area.
Some charities provide assistance to people who are destitute in the form of cash, food vouchers, or food parcels. The charities listed in this section may be able to assist people with no recourse to public funds, including those who have leave to remain with a 'No Recourse to Public Funds' (NRPF) condition and people without lawful status. Some charities that assist people seeking asylum and/or refugees may also assist people who are destitute and have other types of immigration status.
A council's local welfare assistance scheme is sometimes called a 'local welfare fund', 'residents support service', or 'residents support fund'. The council can provide grants and other types of support to residents in need through its local welfare assistance scheme.
In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, a payment made through a local welfare scheme will usually be a 'public fund' for immigration purposes and therefore cannot be accessed by a person who has leave to remain with a NRPF condition or who is without lawful status. In Wales part of the Discretionary Assistance Fund is available to people with no recourse to public funds. For more details, see our information about cost of living support.
Some councils may provide different grants or emergency support that a person with no recourse to public funds can access. A person would need to contact their local council to find out whether any emergency assistance may be available to them.
Food banks can provide short-term emergency food parcels to people during a crisis. Usually, a food bank voucher will need to be issued by a frontline professional from a local agency, such as a children's centre, advice charity or housing association. When a person is referred to a food bank, they can exchange their voucher for an emergency food parcel containing a minimum of three days’ nutritionally balanced food.
Food banks can be accessed by people with no recourse to public funds. Find a local food bank.
Food Cycle provides a list of places across England and Wales that provide a free weekly cooked meal.
City Harvest provides a list of food charities and food banks in London.
People with no recourse to public funds who are studying in the UK would need to speak to the international student advice service at their college or university to find out whether their institution has any hardship funds that they can apply to. The UK Council for International Student Affairs provides more information for students who are experiencing financial hardship and operates an advice line for students.
