Homeless applications: immigration and residence
When you ask for council help with housing, the council asks:
about your immigration status
if you've lived abroad recently
The council asks this even if you're British or have lived here all your life.
You can usually get some homeless help if you meet immigration conditions.
You must meet other conditions to get emergency housing.
Proof of your status
You might need to show your immigration status to get homeless help.
The council might ask you for a share code to prove your immigration status online.
Some people already have an online immigration status.
The government wants to move more people to an online status. This is called an eVisa.
The council must accept paper documents if you cannot show them an eVisa.
For example, a Home Office letter that tells them your immigration status.
The council should give you time to get your information if you do not have it when you first speak to them.
If you get universal credit, you could show your online account to the council.
Who can get homelessness help
You could get homeless help if you have:
British or Irish citizenship
EU settled status
indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
refugee status or humanitarian protection
leave to remain with recourse to public funds
Some EU citizens with pre settled status can also get help.
From 30 January 2023 you can also get homelessness help if you have limited leave to remain as a victim of human trafficking or slavery.
What is 'recourse to public funds'?
This means you can apply for help with housing or benefits.
People with EU settled status, refugee status or humanitarian protection all have recourse to public funds.
Other examples include:
the Afghan relocations and assistance policy or the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme
'migrant victims of domestic abuse concession' for some people who cannot live with their sponsor due to domestic abuse
What is 'habitual residence'?
This usually means you have lived in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for at least a month and will keep living here.
Many people need to be habitually resident to get homeless help. This includes British and Irish citizens.
You do not need to be habitually resident if you came to the UK because you were:
deported from another country
evacuated from or told to leave another country by the British government
If you have lived here before
You could be habitually resident as soon as you arrive if you return to resettle.
You can show that you plan to resettle by:
looking for work
registering with a GP
arranging school places for your children
The DWP also looks at this if you claim universal credit.
Stay with friends or family when you return to UK if you can. You might not get emergency housing.
You can usually get universal credit and some homeless help within 3 months of arrival.
Refugees and other people escaping war
You can get homeless help if you have:
refugee status
humanitarian protection
discretionary leave with recourse to public funds
If you apply to extend your leave before it expires, you can still get help until the Home Office makes a decision.
British or Irish citizens and other people with recourse to public funds can ask for homeless help when they arrive in the UK if you lived in:
Ukraine before 1 January 2022
Sudan before 15 April 2023
Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, Lebanon or Israel before 7 October 2023
Your can also ask straight away if you lived in another country and the British government evacuated you or said it was not safe to stay there.
You do not need to be habitually resident.
If you're seeking asylum
You cannot get homeless help from the council.
You could get asylum support while the Home Office looks at your asylum claim.
If you are under 18 and have no family in the UK, you can get help from children's services.
Children's services are teams at local councils.
EU citizens
You can usually get help if you're an Irish citizen or have settled status in the UK.
Some EU citizens with pre settled status can also get help but you have to meet extra conditions.
You cannot usually get help if you moved to the UK after 31 December 2020 unless you're an Irish citizen or have settled status.
Find out more about when EU citizens can get homeless help
People with indefinite leave to remain
You can usually get help if you have indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and are habitually resident.
The only exception is if a relative sponsored you to come and live in the UK within the last 5 years. You can only get homeless help if your relative has died.
Commonwealth citizens
You can get help if you're habitually resident and have right of abode.
Many other long term residents from the Commonwealth also have the right to live, work, claim benefits and apply as homeless in the UK.
You could get help through the Windrush Scheme if you moved to the UK before 1989 and are settled here but do not have the documents to prove it.
If the council says you cannot get help
The council must give you a letter which explains their decision.
You have 3 weeks to ask for a review if you think the decision is wrong.
Contact a Shelter adviser if the council does not give you a letter or you're not sure of your next steps.
If the council put the decision in writing
Council sometimes get things wrong, or make decisions without enough information.
Get free legal advice and help with a review:
If you came to the UK as someone's partner
You cannot usually get homeless help if you're on a spouse or partner visa.
The Home Office expects you to live in your partner's home for your first 5 years in the UK.
If you experience domestic abuse
You can sometimes get Home Office permission to claim benefits if your relationship ends because of domestic abuse.
Get immigration advice before you contact the Home Office.
Find specialist advice through:
Some refuges have spaces for women who cannot get benefits.
Last updated: 27 August 2026
