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Helplines for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Get help by phone if you’re an asylum applicant or refugee and you need advice about the asylum process or adapting to life in the UK.

Who can use the helplines

You can use the helplines if:

  • you’re an asylum seeker and you’ve just arrived in the UK
  • you’ve just received the decision on your asylum application
  • you’ve been successful in your asylum application and are building a new life in the UK

What the helplines are for

The asylum helplines can help with:

  • housing problems
  • dealing with agencies, eg social services
  • finding English language classes
  • questions about asylum support
  • getting legal representation
  • finding schools
  • building a life in the UK if you’re given permission to stay here
  • returning home

 They may also be able to help if you’re:

  • threatened or harmed by someone because of your race
  • threatened or harmed by a member of your family
  • the victim of a crime
  • a witness to a crime

Charities run the helplines. They don’t make decisions on asylum applications.

Who to call

Call Migrant Help, a free asylum helpline accessible to all asylum seekers in the UK. They can assist with:

  • applications for asylum support
  • reporting maintenance issues with asylum accommodation
  • requests for assistance
  • advice on any asylum-related queries

Migrant Help
Telephone: 0808 8010 503
24/7
Service User Portal: www.migranthelpuk.org/su-portal
(for webchat, self-serve forms and information resources)

Call Children’s Panel if you’re a child in the UK on your own and applying for asylum.

Children’s Panel (England only)
Telephone: 0808 8080 500
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm
(limited service at other times)

The Refugee Council provides free advice and information to asylum seekers and refugees in the UK.

Visit the Refugee Council website for information if you are seeking asylum, a refugee, a child under 18, an adviser working with under 18s or adult asylum seekers, or need Destitution Support. 

Contact numbers are available on the website depending on the service you require. 

The Refugee Council also have a Therapeutic Casework Unit (TCU) in Luton. The TCU operates a holistic wellbeing assessment, referral and casework service to help meet the psychosocial wellbeing needs of vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers.

Last updated 10/12/2019