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Asylum Seekers - Benefits and asylum seekers

There are special rules about benefits for asylum seekers.

Last reviewed 19 June 2023

Benefits and asylum seekers

As an asylum seeker you are excluded from most benefits. This is because, as someone who requires leave and does not have it, you are defined as a ‘person subject to immigration control.’

Although being an asylum seeker does not exclude you from being able to claim , most asylum seekers will not be able to get . This is because you need to have worked and paid national insurance contributions to get . Most asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the UK and so are not able to pay national insurance contributions.  

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