Support for Asylum Seekers

What Happens When you Arrive in the UK to Seek Asylum?

When you arrive in the UK you should attend the Home Office and explain that you'd like to seek asylum. If you are a child, or say you are a child and have no family in the UK you will be referred to a Local Authority for an Age Assessment or a Needs Assessment. If you have any documents to show your date of birth you should provide them to the Home Office as this will mean you may not have to have an Age Assessment.

The Home Office will then provide you with temporary accommodation until a transfer to The Local Authority can be arranged. The Home Office will complete an 'initial screening' at this point and will also provide you with some important documents that you need to keep safe. This will include an identification card and details of future appointments with the Home Office.

After no more than 7 nights in temporary accommodation you will go by taxi to the Sutton Children Looked After and Leaving Care Team office where a Social Worker will meet you. 

The Social Worker is there to understand your support needs and to make an assessment of your age. The Social Worker will not have any say on your Asylum Claim.

Any immediate needs the Social Worker assesses you to have will be met, either by The Children Looked After and Leaving Care Team, or if it is decided that you are an adult, by NASS.

Once you meet your Social Worker they will take you to where you will be living. 

This may be with a foster family, or may be your own room sharing with other young people and support workers.

Your foster carer or support worker will help you to shop for and prepare food, find your way in the new area and use the facilities in the house. 

You will also be supported to see a doctor, dentist and optician to ensure you are healthy, or any health needs are met.

 If you don't have one already, you will also be supported to meet with a solicitor who can help you with your asylum claim. You can ask your Social Worker or Personal Advisor to help you choose a solicitor. Once you start your claim with them you cannot change to a new solicitor. 

Your legal fees will be covered by legal aid for your initial claim and appeals so you don't have to pay anything for these appointments.

Your Social Worker or Personal Advisor can help you access local groups:

• Young Roots: a London-based charity working with young refugees and asylum seekers aged 11-25, most of whom are alone in the UK without their families. They offer support to young people to improve their wellbeing and fulfil their potential, through intensive one-to-one Casework, youth and sporting activities, English language mentoring, youth leadership and access to specialist therapeutic and legal advice. They can be contacted by emailing: london@youngroots.org.uk or 020 8684 9140 or visit the young roots website [External Link].

• Refugee Council: they work directly with Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Young People providing independent advice and guidance. They can be contacted on: 0808 175 3499 or visit their website [External Link].

Age Assessment/Needs Assessment

You will undergo an Age Assessment if you cannot provide documents which confirm your date of birth, or there are some questions about your age. Your Social Worker or Personal Advisor can provide you with more information. 

For more information around asylum support please visit the government website [External Link].

Your Social Worker or Personal Advisor can also talk you through what the journey of making an asylum claim may look like. 

Your Rights

• It is your right to feel safe, supported and be treated with dignity in the UK. If you feel unsafe or uncertain you can speak to your Social Worker or Personal Advisor about your concerns.