Supporting refugees and asylum seekers

Supporting asylum seekers

Asylum seekers may be placed in accommodation in Kensington and Chelsea by the Home Office, while their asylum claim is processed. The Home Office manages asylum accommodation all over the UK.

We support asylum seekers who live in our borough in various ways, including:

  • helping them to access key local services such as health and education
  • working with local partners from the voluntary and community sector to provide additional support and activities to asylum seekers

Refugee status  

Once you have received a positive decision and gain refugee status, you will need to secure your own accommodation. Our team will be on hand to support you in the transition. We will guide you through the important next steps of:

If you receive a negative decision, you should seek legal advice on the Migrant Help website. You can also telephone 0808 8010 503.

Further information

Visit the UK government website: 

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has published Rights and expectations in the UK, a guide to living in asylum accommodation and the UK. The guide is available in English, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Kurdish, Pashto, Punjabi, Tigrinya and Urdu.

Last updated: 13 January 2025