Claiming Universal Credit and other benefits if you are a refugee
Urgent actions refugees need to do to claim Universal Credit and other benefits, once they have been given refugee status.
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Asylum support can provide you with housing and money to support you and your family while you’re waiting to find out if you’ll be granted refugee status.
If you are receiving asylum support, this will stop after you are granted refugee status. The Home Office will send you an ‘asylum support discontinuation’ letter which will confirm the date your support will end. Your asylum support will end at least 28 days after the letter was issued.
This guidance explains what you need to do as soon as you’re granted refugee status.
Updates to this page
Last updated 19 November 2024 + show all updates
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Added that eVisas are issued as well as biometric residence permits. Added how to find your National Insurance number if you have an eVisa.
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Your asylum support will usually stop 28 days after your biometric residence permit (BRP) has been issued.
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Changes to clarify that asylum support usually ends 28 days after a person gets a decision about their asylum claim.
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Updated the guidance about National Insurance numbers to explain that DWP will tell you how to apply for a National Insurance number as part of your claim for benefits.
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Removed the wording 'You will not get a sanction if you cannot keep to your Claimant Commitment because of coronavirus (COVID-19)'.
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First published.