Asylum support

If you're a carer seeking asylum in the UK and you're homeless, you can apply to the UK Border Agency for help with somewhere to live for you and your family.

If the person you're looking after is a dependent and also seeking asylum, the accommodation support will include them. A dependent is a husband, wife, partner, child or other family member who you support financially.

If you or your family qualify for accommodation support, the UK Border Agency will provide somewhere suitable for you to live, as well as transport to the accommodation. You will not be able to choose where you live.

The UK Border Agency provides housing in:

• the north-west of England (such as Liverpool and Manchester),
• the north-east of England (such as Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland),
• the Midlands (such as Birmingham, Leicester and Nottingham),
• Wales, and
• Scotland.

The UK Border Agency does not provide housing in London and there is not much housing in the south-east of England. The type of support you receive will depend on what stage your asylum application is at.

Initial accommodation is provided, for the first two or three weeks, if you qualify for housing support at the time you make your asylum application. After this period you will usually move on to other housing in the same region. It will also be the region where your case owner (the person dealing with your asylum application) is based.

If you decide you no longer need housing support, you must tell your case owner. It is important you keep in contact with your case owner and report to the UK Border Agency as agreed. If you don't, you may lose your housing support and be detained in a secure centre.

If you don't have a case owner you can contact the asylum support customer contact centre on 0845 6021739 between 9am and 9pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.

You can also seek advice and support from your nearest One Stop Services. These charities provide help to asylum seekers and refugees on a range of issues, including accommodation.