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Guidance

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.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published:
1 October 2019
Last updated:
9 March 2026
Show all updates

  1. Asylum support now ends 42 days (6 weeks) after the person is granted refugee status.

  2. In the HTML document attachment: if you’re receiving asylum support, the timing of when it ends depends on your circumstances. From 1 September 2025, for most single adults, asylum support will end 4 weeks after you’re granted refugee status. Asylum support will continue for 8 weeks after you’re granted refugee status if any of the following apply: you are receiving support as part of a couple or family group, you are pregnant, you are over 65, you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Previously, asylum support ended 8 weeks after refugee status was granted for everyone.

  3. Asylum support now ends 8 weeks after the person is granted refugee status.

  4. Added that eVisas are issued as well as biometric residence permits. Added how to find your National Insurance number if you have an eVisa.

  5. Your asylum support will usually stop 28 days after your biometric residence permit (BRP) has been issued.

  6. Changes to clarify that asylum support usually ends 28 days after a person gets a decision about their asylum claim.

  7. 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.

  8. Removed the wording 'You will not get a sanction if you cannot keep to your Claimant Commitment because of coronavirus (COVID-19)'.

  9. First published.

Documents

Claiming Universal Credit and other benefits if you are a refugee

HTML

Details

Asylum support can help you and your family with housing and money while you wait to find out if you’ll be granted refugee status.

Asylum support will stop after you’re granted refugee status. You will receive a letter from the Home Office confirming the exact date your asylum support will end.

This guidance explains what you need to do as soon as you’re granted refugee status.

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