Guidance

Physical and mental health support available for people seeking asylum (accessible)

Published 12 March 2024

About this document

Who is this for?

This document is for asylum seekers who have concerns about their physical or mental health.

What healthcare can I receive?

The National Health Service (NHS) is the government funded healthcare service that everyone living in the UK can use without being asked to pay the full cost of the service. You are entitled to see a doctor (GP) and have NHS provided hospital care without charge. You may also be entitled to free or low-cost medication. Further information is available at NHS entitlements: migrant health guide.

Will healthcare support affect my asylum claim?

Your claim will not be negatively affected by any illness or health treatment you receive.

Home Office role

The Home Office supports asylum seekers with issues relating to the asylum process. Health matters shared with the Home Office may be considered when processing asylum claims and assessing accommodation needs. The Home Office does not offer physical or mental health support.

Migrant Help role

Migrant Help supports with issues relating to accommodation and financial support.

Website: Asylum advice and guidance

24 hour telephone helpline: 0808 8010 503

Additional services

Here is a list of other services, from non-governmental organisations, which provide information and support to asylum seekers. You may be able to request an interpreter to help access services. Please contact these organisations for more information.

The Refugee Council

The Refugee Council works with people seeking asylum in the UK. The Refugee Council provides advice, therapeutic and practical support to help people settle. They also specialise in working with children who arrive in the UK alone.

• Infoline freephone: 0808 196 7272 (Monday and Thursday, 9:30am to 12:30pm)

• Separated children freephone: 0808 175 3499 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm)

‘My View’: Children’s service

My View Children’s therapy service is a safe, confidential place for young people to access wellbeing support through talking, individual creative work, or group therapeutic support.

The service is offered in different parts of the country. Please visit the My View website for more information.

British Red Cross

The British Red Cross offers emergency help, one-to-one support and casework, and help reuniting families.

The British Red Cross does not provide immigration advice. The British Red Cross is a UK-wide service.

For more information, contact your local Red Cross office.

Doctors of the World

Doctors of the World provides one-off medical appointments, information, and practical support to asylum seekers to register with a GP. They run a clinic, advice line, outreach services and advocacy programmes.

Telephone: 0207 167 5789

Other services

Emergency response service

Call 999 or 112 if someone is seriously ill or injured, and their life is at risk.

Call 111 for non-life-threatening medical support.

Domestic abuse helplines

England: Refuge

Freephone 24-hour national domestic abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247

Live chat service: Monday to Friday, 3pm to 10pm

Wales

Live Fear Free helpline: 0808 80 10 800

Scotland

Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage helpline: 0800 027 1234

Northern Ireland

Women’s Aid Northern Ireland: 0808 802 1414

Men

Men’s advice line: 0808 8010327

Galop (LGBTQI)

• Galop website

• Telephone: 0800 999 5428

Suicide prevention helplines

Papyrus - Prevention Of Young Suicide

• Papyrus website

• Telephone: 0800 068 41 41

Samaritans

• Samaritans website

• Telephone: 116 123

Freedom from Torture

Freedom from Torture has centres in London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester, and Glasgow.

For UK-based survivors of torture, they provide:

• one-to-one and group therapy activities for the treatment of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and other problems.
• creative and group activities: gardening, music, art, football, and cooking
• health assessments and pain management including through physiotherapy
• medico-legal reports for asylum claims where doctors assess the impact of torture
• legal support: finding a lawyer, understanding the asylum system and release from detention
• support with housing, education, financial support, health, and social care

Telephone: 020 7697 7777

Helen Bamber Foundation

The Helen Bamber Foundation is a specialist clinical and human rights charity that works with survivors of trafficking, torture, and other forms of extreme human cruelty.

Their multidisciplinary and clinical team provide an integrated care for survivors which includes:

• medico-legal documentation of physical and psychological injuries
• specialist programmes of therapeutic care
• a medical advisory service
• a counter-trafficking programme
• housing and welfare advice
• legal protection advice
• community integration activities and services.

Every mind matters: Loneliness

The NHS provides practical advice and tips to reduce loneliness, and details of supportive organisations.

Website: Every mind matters

Barnardo’s

Barnardo’s aims to support children, young people, parents and carers.

They offer:

• Refugee Support Service: links families with local services
• Supported Accommodation Service (Northern Ireland) for unaccompanied young people – (aged 16-21)
• Family Wellbeing Service: (Cardiff) supports asylum seeking families. Family Reunion Integration Service (Birmingham/Glasgow)
• Boloh Helpline (for adults over 18): Advice, signposting, emotional support, and therapy by qualified therapists.

Therapy sessions can take place remotely by telephone or online at Barnardo’s Helplines.

Refugee Action

Refugee Action supports refugees and people seeking asylum in several locations across England.

• Asylum Information Groups (Liverpool): offer group sessions on the asylum process for newly arrived asylum seekers.
• Increasing Asylum Justice (Manchester): provides advice to asylum seekers in Manchester who need help in understanding the asylum process & their rights.
• Asylum Crisis (London, Manchester, West Midlands, Bradford (families only)): if you are an asylum seeker & you need accommodation or support or your support has been refused or terminated, this service can help you.
• The BRAVE project (Bradford): is an expert by experience led project focusing on integration and wellbeing activities for asylum seekers in Bradford. This is for all service users at Refugee Action with a specific focus on families.
• Advice and Wellbeing Project (Bradford): this is a project delivered with the charity, Solace. We provide OISC immigration advice to some asylum seekers, refused asylum seekers, and provide 1-to-1 counselling services & a weekly wellbeing group.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Welsh Refugee Council (WRC) (services only in Wales)

Advice, support, advocacy and signposting for refugees and asylum seekers living in Wales.

• Welsh Refugee Council website 
• Telephone: 0808 196 7273

They offer:

• Wales Sanctuary Service: casework support and advocacy across Wales
• casework support for destitute and Appeal Rights Exhausted (ARE) asylum seekers living in Cardiff
• Move On service: supports new refugees with integration and transition
• Navigating Asylum Project: support through the asylum process

Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) (services only in Scotland)

• Family Rights Service: for families with children, including pregnant women and single parents. Email: families@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk
• Destitution Service: Assists refused asylum seekers who are known as ARE (Appeal Rights Exhausted). Email:  destitution@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk
• Refugee Integration Service: supports new refugees granted any form of leave to remain.

Freephone helpline: 080 8196 7274

Information and advice on refugee and asylum issues. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Services in Northern Ireland

Advice and support, including healthcare, housing, employment and access to education, is available for refugees and asylum seekers

Asylum seekers and refugees - help and advice.