What are asylum seekers entitled to?
Asylum seekers who are destitute without any means of support can apply to the UK BORDERS AGENCY (UKBA) for accommodation and subsistence support. Eligibility for this support has been somewhat complicated by various clauses in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act , however, and this is dealt with in more detail below. There is still an entitlement to take subsistence only and not the full accommodation package, so long as the person can find their own accommodation. However, c.60% of applicants take the full package, in which case they will be dispersed on a no-choice basis to UKBA accommodation somewhere in the UK. The Government has signaled its intention to end the subsistence-only option, but this will not be applied retrospectively.
