Asylum Helpline for Applicants and Refugees

The asylum helplines provide free and independent advice for asylum applicants and refugees. This page lists asylum helpline telephone numbers and call center opening hours.

ASYLUM HELPLINES UK: Are you an asylum seeker applicant or a refugee in the United Kingdom?

If so, you can get help on the phone across Britain. In most cases you will make contact with someone who speaks your language.

Charities run most of the asylum helplines in the UK. Many are part of the Migrant Help organisation. They understand how the complex asylum rules and navigation processes function.

You may be a new arrival or have been in the country for some time. The asylum helpline provides support and guidance throughout the process.

Asylum applicants and refugees get confidential and impartial advice from the call centers. But, as a rule they are unable to offer the same work as a legal advocate. Even so, they can refer you to a support organisation where it is appropriate to do so.


Who Can Use the Asylum Helpline?

Asylum helplines are for use by people who:

  • Are asylum seekers and very recently arrived in the United Kingdom.
  • Have received a decision on their application for asylum.
  • Have been successful in their asylum application and beginning to build a new life in the United Kingdom.


What are Asylum Helplines for?

Some of the things asylum helplines can help with include:

The free call centers can often help with adaptation problems such as:

  • Being threatened or harmed by someone because of your race.
  • Being threatened or harmed by a member of your own family.
  • Being the victim of a crime or witnessing a crime.

Note: Charity organisations man the asylum helplines. They do not have the responsibility to make decisions on any asylum applications.


Which Asylum Helpline to Call

Call Asylum Help UK if you are an adult asylum seeker. The same applies for any dependant of an adult asylum seeker.

Asylum Help UK
Telephone: 0808 8010 503
Monday to Friday: 8am to 5.30pm
(limited service at other times)
Find out about call charges.

Call Asylum Support Application UK if you are an asylum seeker and unable to support yourself ‘financially‘. They will try to help if you want to apply for asylum support.

Asylum Support Application UK
Telephone: 0808 8000 631
Monday to Friday: 8am to 5.30pm
(limited service at other times)

Call Children’s Panel if you are a child on your own in the United Kingdom and applying for asylum.

Children’s Panel (England only)
Telephone: 020 7346 1134
Monday to Friday: 9am to 5.30pm
(limited service at other times)


Helplines for Asylum Applicants and Refugees in the United Kingdom