You should be given somewhere to stay very quickly if you are destitute.

Destitute can mean you're:

• homeless and on the streets

• staying somewhere very unsafe, for example, if you're at risk of violence

You can also apply for support at any time during the asylum process if you have no money or become homeless.

If you've been in UK for some time, you need to show why you cannot support yourself anymore. For example, if friends ask you to leave.

Staying in a hostel or hotel

At first you might stay in a hostel or hotel. This is usually with other people seeking asylum.

All your meals and toiletries will be provided.

You will not usually get money while you are staying there.

This is sometimes called 'initial accommodation' or 'section 98 support'.

You can stay there while the Home Office decide if you can get full asylum support.

You might have to stay there for several weeks or months.

Longer term asylum housing

You usually move to longer term housing if you qualify for full asylum support.

This is sometimes called 'dispersal housing' or 'section 95 support'.

Families with children are more likely to be in a self contained flat or house where you do not have to share.

Single people and couples are more likely to be in a shared house or a hostel.

It could be anywhere in the UK and is often outside London.

You will not have to pay rent or other bills while you live in asylum housing.

Asylum housing used to be called 'NASS accommodation'. You might still hear those words or find it on forms.

How long can you stay in asylum housing?

You can usually stay in asylum support housing until you get a final decision on your asylum claim from either:

• the Home Office

• a court

You might have to move during this time.

If you get refugee status

You usually have to leave where you are living 4 weeks after getting your biometric residence permit (BRP).

Ask a council for help finding somewhere to live as soon as you get a decision letter from the Home Office. This is called making a homeless application.

If your asylum claim is refused

If children live with you, you can usually stay in asylum housing until you can leave the UK.

If you are single but you cannot leave the UK, you can sometimes get short term help. This is called 'section 4 support'.

Find out more about section 4 support on the Right to Remain website.

Rules in asylum housing

You will get an agreement which sets out the rules where you are staying.

For example, you might have to stay in your accommodation every night. You might not be allowed to have visitors.

If you do not follow the rules you could be asked to leave.

The Home Office must give you a final warning letter before they stop your support.

What if your asylum support stops?

You can appeal to the asylum support tribunal.

You must do this within 3 days if you can.

Find out how to appeal in the Asylum Support Appeals Project (ASAP) guide.

Get advice from a refugee charity.