Asylum seekers and refugees: refugee and asylum orientation
Northern Ireland welcomes people from across the world who are seeking sanctuary from persecution. To help you adapt to life here make sure that you know how to get the support available to you, including healthcare, housing, employment and access to education.
Northern Ireland
Whether you are new here or have been here for some time you can find out more about Northern Ireland on the following page:
Your local area
There are 11 local councils in Northern Ireland. These councils offer services from managing local sport and leisure centres to collecting your bins:
Find out more about each of the councils at the following links:
- Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
- Ards and North Down Borough Council
- Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
- Belfast City Council
- Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
- Derry City and Strabane District Council
- Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
- Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
- Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
- Mid Ulster District Council
- Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
Resource map - support organisations in Northern Ireland
Public transport
Northern Ireland has public transport that can help you travel, go shopping or to meet up with friends:
Travelling between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
Asylum seekers do not have the same rights to travel within the Common Travel Area (CTA) as UK, Irish or EU citizens. Find out about the rules for travel in the CTA:
Asylum support
You can find out about the support available (housing and money) if you claim asylum, your rights and the type of representation you should get at the following link:
Migrant help services
There is a free asylum helpline which is open 24 hours a day all year round.
The number is:
- 0808 8010 503
You can also contact this service through web chat or an online enquiry form.
Email addresses for various queries can be found at the following link:
If you are staying in Initial Accommodation (IA) or a hotel the contact number for Belfast is:
- phone: 0808 801 0314
or use the websites:
Migrant Help induction shows the range of asylum support and is available in 14 languages:
Migrant Help will help you to apply for support and fill in the Asylum Support Form (ASF).
This is usually filled in over the telephone. An appointment will be made for you with Migrant Help within a few days of arrival. If you haven’t had any contact, then call:
- phone: 0808 801 0314
It usually takes several weeks for the Home Office to make a decision on your ASF Asylum Support, and they may ask you for more information.
You can still apply for short-term support if you’ve been refused asylum and are preparing to leave the UK:
There is extra asylum support for pregnant mothers as a one-off maternity payment and children up to five years of age maternity payment.
Adding a new baby born in NI
Contact Migrant Help within 14 days of giving birth to ask for your baby to be added as a dependent on your asylum support and to get a birth certificate. This will make sure that asylum support is added from the day you baby is born.
Lost or stolen Aspen Cards
You can also call Migrant Help, or use its website to report that your Aspen card is lost or stolen and ask for a replacement card:
To make sure the card is blocked and cannot be used by anybody else:
- phone 0800 246 1327
You can ask for an Emergency Cash Payment (ECP) through Migrant Help in the following circumstances:
- you have been dispersed/moved from asylum contingency hotel to dispersal housing and do not have an ASPEN card
- your ASPEN card has been lost or stolen and you have not withdrawn your support in full
Health certificate
Once granted Section 95 support, you will be entitled to a HC2 certificate (or for those on Section 4, a HC1 certificate). This will help with health-related costs:
The HC2 certificate should be issued automatically when you are granted Section 95 support and then renewed automatically every six months.
However, if you do not receive your HC2 within three weeks of receiving your grant letter, you can contact Migrant Help HC2:
- phone: 0300 330 1343
Lines are open from Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and Saturday from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. This should also be raised with Migrant Help.
If you are on Section 4 support, a HC1 form needs to be filled in. This can be obtained through the Jobs and Benefit Office.
The British Red Cross can support with filling in of this form and processing at agreed Jobs and Benefits Office.
Asylum housing
When you first arrive you will be housed in Initial Accommodation (IA), until adequate dispersal housing is found. It is managed by MEARS on behalf of the Home Office.
This is a guide is mainly for asylum seekers staying in IA, while their application for Section 95 support is assessed, where they have been granted Section 95 support and are waiting to be dispersed or are on Section 4 support.
IA is usually in hotels that offer three meals per day, plus toiletries, sanitary products and laundry facilities. If IA is not given with meals included, you will be given cash payments until you receive your ASPEN payment card. The amount of time people stay in IA can vary before moving onto dispersal accommodation.
Dispersal accommodation is longer-term temporary accommodation managed by MEARS on behalf of the Home Office. You will usually be able to stay in dispersal accommodation until your asylum claim has been fully decided. It is not always possible to stay in the same property.
Moving on following an asylum claim decision
When your asylum claim (including any appeals) has been decided, you will usually stop being entitled to Home Office support. If this is the case, you will be given notice that your financial support will stop and that you must leave your accommodation (initial or dispersal).
What you need to do next will depend on whether your claim for asylum was successful. If your claim is successful, Reed International will contact you to provide advice on next steps.
Migrant Help will contact you soon after you receive your decision and provide advice on next steps if negative/ unsuccessful decision.
Failed asylum claims
If your asylum claim has been refused it is important that you understand your rights and what next steps you can take:
If your claim is refused and there are no other barriers to leaving the UK, you will be expected to leave the UK. Advice and guidance will be given by Migrant Help soon after receiving your decision from the Home Office.
If you would like some more information on this choice, the Voluntary Returns Service is available Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm:
- phone: 0300 004 0202
- Get help to return home if you’re a migrant in the UK
You may be able to get help with returning home. You should talk to your immigration adviser about this choice.
Get a decision
Your application will be decided as soon as possible. It may take longer if your case is complex:
You will be granted or refused permission to stay in one of the following ways.
- if your asylum claim is successful you will be granted refugee status and recognised as a refugee as defined in the Refugee Convention
- you will be granted humanitarian protection if you do not qualify for refugee status but cannot return to your own country because you would be under threat of serious harm
- if you do not qualify for refugee status or humanitarian protection you may qualify for 'leave to remain' for another reason
- if you do not qualify for 'leave to remain' on any basis, your claim will be refused outright
You can read about how applications are decided:
Appealing an asylum support decision
You can get help and advice before you appeal:
You can contact the Asylum Support Appeals Project (ASAP) for free legal advice if you have sent in your appeal form to the First-tier Tribunal (Asylum Support).
You can also get other legal advice, including from an immigration adviser:
Resettlement schemes
There are resettlement schemes that the UK government has sponsored to help with specific crisis.
- Supporting Ukraine
- Afghan citizens resettlement scheme
- British Nationals (Overseas) Hong Kong residents
Services for refugees and/or asylum seekers
There are services available to refugees and/or asylum seekers to help with education, health, housing and government benefits.
Education
The following links have information for adult and young learners.
- English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
- ESOL NI
- Essential Skills
- Getting a primary school place
Health
Find out about the services and help available and to look after your physical and mental health.
- Your local doctor (GP)
- Types of dentists and your rights as a patient
- Physical activity
- Introduction to mental health
Benefits for non-UK nationals
There is help through government benefits for people with ‘leave to remain’.
Report a crime
The following page has advice on how to report if you have been the victim of a crime and your rights. As an asylum seeker or refugee it is your right to report a crime if you need to.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of modern slavery and exploitation there is help available to report your concerns.