The Recourse to Public Funds (RTPF) Checker is now available to councils across the UK to subscribe to in order to instantly establish whether a person can access public funds (benefits and local authority housing assistance). The Home Office has funded the development of the RTPF Checker, which will be operated by the NRPF Network.
Supporting the eVisa roll-out
In the new digital immigration system, it is important to have a range of services available so that a person's online immigration status and entitlement to public funds can be easily confirmed and to ensure that digital exclusion does not prevent residents from accessing services. The Home Office estimates that at the end of April 2025, 300,000 people still needed to create an eVisa account.
The RTPF Checker allows a ‘look-up’ to be completed by inputting specific credentials, such as a NINO, passport or UKVI Account Number, and to complete an instant check of immigration status against Home Office systems.
The RTPF Checker is an extra line of support in addition to existing gov.uk ‘view and prove’ services, ensuring recourse to public funds is quickly identified and removing barriers to establishing entitlement that might be faced by an eVisa holder.
Building on the experience of operating NRPF Connect
We successfully integrated the RTPF Checker into NRPF Connect in December 2023, and approximately 2000 immigration status look-ups are undertaken each month. However, NRPF Connect is a case management system specifically designed to be used by social care teams that provide essential accommodation and financial support to people with no recourse to public funds to alleviate homelessness and destitution.
As the eVisa roll-out continued, it became apparent that a standalone RTPF Checker service was necessary for other services that need to confirm a person’s immigration status and/or ability to access public funds in order to determine their eligibility, where a person is experiencing problems accessing their eVisa account via ‘view and prove’ or does not yet have an eVisa account.
The RTPF Checker now answers the need for a light-touch immigration verification service, with the same attention to information security and ongoing technical support as already enjoyed by users of NRPF Connect.
Do I need NRPF Connect or the RTPF Checker, or both?
Councils discharging statutory duties to provide accommodation and subsistence support under social care legislation must record this work on NRPF Connect, notifying the Home Office of involvement, engaging the Home Office in case prioritisation processes, and accounting for a high-cost area of social care practice. NRPF Connect is therefore used by social care and dedicated NRPF teams responsible for delivering support to families, adults with care needs, or care leavers.
When confirmation of a person’s immigration status or ability to access public funds in order to inform an eligibility decision is necessary, but no further contact with the Home Office is required, the RTPF checker can be used. For example, the RTPF checker may be a necessary tool for housing or benefits teams. The RTPF checker can be purchased by all councils, including district councils and those already using NRPF Connect.
To register interest in this new service please email nrpfconnect@islington.gov.uk or find out more about the RTPF checker.