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Support for different migrant groups

Each group of migrants may have different support available, through us or other services.

See what resources are available for your group:

Asylum seekers

If you have fled your country due to fear of persecution and are seeking protection here. You have applied for refugee status but are awaiting a decision.

Support available

Contact the Home Office through the Asylum Central Communication Hub (ACCH)

You and your representatives can contact the Home Office directly on a number of topics. It also has email templates to help you make the query correctly.

• How to use the ACCH to contact the Home Office (GOV.UK)

Housing and welfare checks

Clearsprings are the Home Office contractor to provide housing and welfare checks for asylum seekers. You should know who your contact is but if not please speak to Migrant Help:

• Contact Migrant Help

Mental health and wellbeing

Vandu in East Sussex provides a range of mental health services,  focusing on informal support for ethnic minorities, aimed at preventing the development of mental health issues.

• Contact Vandu about this service

Community support

• Find your local hub

Resettled groups

If you have entered the UK under a resettlement scheme, you are part of this group. It includes:

• Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)
• Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)
• UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS)

Support available

Initial settlement support

ARAP and ACRS get support with housing for 3 years. UKRS get 5 years of support.

This is provided through your local district or borough:

• Your local housing office

Community support

If support is needed after 3 years, or 5 years for UKRS, you can access services through your local:

• Citizens Advice
• community hub
• voluntary sector group

Refugees

You are a refugee if you have been granted protection in the UK after proving a well-founded fear of persecution in your home country

Support available

Benefits and employment

• Apply for benefits including Refugee integration loan
• Find job support programmes
• Find your nearest job centre

Finding family and reunions

• Red Cross - finding missing family
• Apply for your family to join you in the UK - GOV.UK

Other migrant groups

There are many other groups of migrants, such as:

• skilled worker visa holders
• no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
• visitor visa holders
• spousal visa holders

We can only offer limited support to these other groups.

Central government have migration and visa information:

• Visas and immigration - GOV.UK

If you need to speak to someone about your care needs, please get in touch with HSCC.

Or you can seek legal advice.

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