Know Your Rights

As an asylum seeker in the UK, you have important rights and protections. Understanding these rights is the first step to feeling safe and secure.

Your rights when you first arrive and register your asylum claim

What to expect during your substantive asylum interview

Your entitlements to accommodation and financial support

How to access NHS services and medical care

Essential Rights You Should Know

You have the right to claim asylum in the UK, no matter how you arrived

You cannot be returned to a country where you face persecution

You have the right to legal representation throughout your case

You're entitled to accommodation and financial support while waiting

Children must be provided with education

You can access NHS healthcare services

Separating fact from fiction about asylum seekers

Myth

Asylum seekers get more benefits than UK citizens

Fact

Asylum seekers receive £49.18 per week (as of 2024), which is less than Universal Credit. They cannot work or claim mainstream benefits.

Myth

Asylum seekers jump the queue for housing

Fact

Asylum accommodation is completely separate from council housing. Asylum seekers don't access council housing until they're granted refugee status.

Myth

Most asylum claims are fake

Fact

In 2023, 72% of initial asylum decisions were grants. The system is designed to identify genuine refugees.

Take these guides with you

2-page summary of your key rights

English 250KB

ملخص من صفحتين لحقوقك الأساسية

Arabic 280KB

Двосторінковий довідник ваших основних прав

Ukrainian 260KB

If you have questions about your rights or need immediate assistance, we're here to help.