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Seeking Refuge? - Rights of Women

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11<br />

Financial and other support<br />

through the asylum process<br />

Introduction<br />

If you have made an application for protection in<br />

the UK, you may be entitled to asylum support<br />

while a decision is made on whether or not you<br />

will be allowed to remain in the UK. Asylum<br />

support includes cash payments and<br />

accommodation.<br />

Whether or not you are entitled to asylum support<br />

depends on your financial situation, your personal<br />

circumstances (such as whether you have a health<br />

problem or disability) and what stage your<br />

application for protection in the UK is at. This<br />

Chapter will give you information on what<br />

financial and other support you may be entitled<br />

to, and what support is available for those who<br />

have had their claim for protection refused.<br />

The law discussed here is very complicated.<br />

This Chapter is written to give you<br />

information about the law, but it is not legal<br />

advice. Asylum support law is a different<br />

area <strong>of</strong> law to immigration and asylum law. If<br />

you have applied for protection in the UK, or<br />

are thinking about doing this, it is very<br />

important that you seek legal advice from a<br />

solicitor or immigration advisor. You can also<br />

contact <strong>Rights</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Women</strong>’s legal advice line.<br />

See Chapter 12 at the end <strong>of</strong> this book for<br />

information about organisations that may be<br />

able to assist you with immigration law and /<br />

or asylum support law issues.<br />

“<br />

Asylum support is the financial<br />

support that asylum-seekers<br />

who have not had a decision<br />

made on their case receive. It<br />

may include cash for essential<br />

things and accommodation.<br />

Asylum support used to be<br />

called NASS support.<br />

”<br />

For more information about the law that<br />

determines who is entitled to protection in the<br />

UK, see Chapter 2.<br />

“<br />

If you have a question about<br />

your asylum support, you should ask your<br />

case-owner or, if you don’t have a caseowner,<br />

you can contact the Asylum<br />

Support Customer Contact Centre on<br />

0845 602 1739 (open 09.00-21.00 Monday<br />

to Friday but not bank holidays).<br />

The case-owner is the person<br />

who works for the UKBA who is<br />

responsible for your case. You<br />

may have one case-owner<br />

throughout your case or you<br />

may have different case-owners<br />

at different stages in the<br />

process.<br />

”<br />

)<br />

Case-owners have a number <strong>of</strong> responsibilities<br />

including:<br />

- Interviewing you.<br />

- Making an initial decision on whether you<br />

should be granted protection in the UK or<br />

whether your claim should be refused.<br />

Your legal representative (or you, if you don’t<br />

have a legal representative) should be in close<br />

contact with your case-owner(s) throughout<br />

the process.<br />

65

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