Conditions of asylum support

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland

If your application for asylum support is successful you will receive an agreement explaining the conditions of support.

This asylum support agreement is important. You must sign it to show that you agree to it. Make sure you understand what you must do, because if you don’t keep to the agreement, UKBA can withdraw its support. For example, it is very important for you to tell UKBA if you are away from your accommodation – even for a few days – otherwise you could have your support and accommodation withdrawn.

It is important that while you are living in UKBA accommodation, you should think about the options you might have if your asylum claim is unsuccessful.

What kind of accommodation might I be offered?

UKBA may decide to place you in:

a house
a flat
a hostel, or
in bed and breakfast accommodation.

You may be provided with some or all of your meals, or it may be accommodation where you can cook for yourself. UKBA do not own any of the accommodation. It is managed by accommodation providers, who contract out to landlords. Landlords do not work for the Home Office.

Will I get a choice of accommodation?

When allocating your accommodation UKBA does not have to consider your personal preferences, such as location or furniture. They should, however, consider circumstances such as a large family or special needs.

Where might the accommodation be?

The UKBA housing you are offered is unlikely to be in London or the South East. If UKBA puts you in temporary accommodation initially, when you move to different accommodation this will be in the same region. UKBA will only make one offer of accommodation. You will be expected to take this unless you have a good reason not to, such as being unable to travel because you are ill or heavily pregnant. If you refuse to move to another area without good reason, UKBA may stop supporting you.

What standards should I expect?

Your UKBA accommodation should conform to certain quality and safety standards, for example:

if you have children, the accommodation must be suitable for them
if you are sharing a room it should not be legally classed as overcrowded, nor should you share a room with people you don’t know
your accommodation should have at least one toilet, and one bath or shower for every five people
your living and dining room space should allow at least four square metres per person
if you are expected to cook your own food, your accommodation should have one kitchen for every five people
all accommodation should have smoke alarms and clear escape routes. There should be no furniture or rubbish in the corridors
all gas and electrical appliances should be tested yearly. This includes your boiler, cooker, and any gas fires. If you think any appliances are unsafe, contact an Environmental Health Officer (see below).

If you think your UKBA accommodation does not conform to these standards, you should complain to your landlord or accommodation provider. Making a complaint will not affect your asylum application and your landlord does not work for the Home Office. If there is still no improvement to your accommodation, you can contact an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) at the local council. The EHO should then inspect your house. You can ask to remain anonymous, in which case the EHO will tell the landlord that they are making a routine visit. If the landlord does not act on the EHO’s recommendations, they can be prosecuted and fined.

Can I appeal if the accommodation is unsuitable?

If the accommodation UKBA provided is not appropriate for your needs, and UKBA have not accepted your complaint, you can appeal. To be successful you will need a good reason, such as:

you are more than six months pregnant and the accommodation is not big enough for you and your baby
you will not have access to support services (for example, a solicitor or translator)
the accommodation is legally classed as overcrowded or isn't suitable for your special needs
living in the accommodation could damage your health because it is damp or in very poor repair
your children will have to move from a school that they have attended for at least 12 months.

Depending on the reasons that you give, you may have to provide medical evidence (such as a letter from your doctor) to support your appeal. Contact Shelter's free housing advice helpline for help in finding a legal adviser. To avoid losing the offer made by UKBA, it may be better for you to move into the accommodation that you have been offered first, and then make your appeal.