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What the government needs to do to reduce the impact of immigration policies on child poverty, destitution and homelessness while restrictions on accessing benefits remain a central aspect of UK immigration policy.
It will not be possible to end homelessness or eradicate child poverty in the UK whilst restricting people from accessing benefits remains a central aspect of UK immigration policy.
The House of Commons Library calculated that, at the end of 2024, approximately 3.6 million people in the UK had leave to remain that was subject to a no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition. Additionally, an unknown number of people are living in the UK without leave to remain.
People who have no recourse to public funds are unable to rely on the safety-net provided by the benefits system if they have a low income or are unable to work. They cannot access local authority homelessness assistance if they are at risk of losing their accommodation, and are also dependent on the private sector for housing, as they are prohibited from accessing social housing.
They are also unable to access services that are usually available to families or individuals with a low income, including:
People with no recourse to public funds can also experience other financial pressures:
The Home Office has implemented several processes to enable people experiencing destitution or at risk of destitution to gain access to benefits or pursue immigration claims.
These include:
However, although these processes can be a lifeline for some individuals and families, they do not adequately protect people from experiencing financial hardship, homelessness, or the long-term impacts of living in the UK with no recourse to public funds, for the following reasons:
Immigration figures sourced from Home Office Immigration and protection data: April-June 2025.
People with no recourse to public funds can access:
Although it is positive that people with no recourse to public funds can access some services that are intended to promote child welfare and reduce health inequalities, in many cases, such assistance will not substantially address financial pressures individuals and families may be experiencing.
Families, adults with care needs, and care leavers with no recourse to public funds can also access accommodation and financial support from social care if they are at risk of homelessness or have insufficient income to meet their basic living needs, and such support is required to safeguard the welfare a child or adult. In the financial year 2024–25, 91 councils supported 5,724 households with no recourse to public funds. However, this support is often long-term and is funded through overstretched social care budgets. Read more about the challenges councils face delivering support to people with no recourse to public funds.
There are no statutory provisions that enable social care to support adults without social care needs, although people at risk of rough sleeping may be able to access emergency accommodation through rough sleeper services.
At the end of June 2025, 1.5 million people had pre-settled status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme. People with pre-settled status do not have an automatic entitlement to means-tested benefits or local authority homelessness assistance as they must demonstrate that they have a 'qualifying right to reside'.
People who are unable to work due to caring responsibilities, a disability or health issue, or the impact of homelessness, are often unable to demonstrate that they have a qualifying right to reside. When a person does not have a qualifying right to reside, the Department for Work and Pensions can award universal credit if they are at risk of destitution, or are unable to work or access support elsewhere. However, due to a lack of data, it is not clear whether people are routinely been awarded benefits on this basis and whether housing authorities are applying a similar test when people are applying for homelessness assistance.
In order to end homelessness and eradicate child poverty, the government needs to:
However, while people continue to be restricted from accessing benefits due to their immigration status, the government needs to reduce the impact of immigration policies on child poverty, destitution and homelessness. We are recommending a series of policy solutions that could go some way to achieve this.
Content updated: 23 October 2025
We use NRPF Connect data and wider feedback from councils to provide evidence to parliamentary committees, all-party parliamentary groups, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, and government strategies and consultations.
Members of parliament have made several positive recommendations following inquiries, which we contributed evidence to, such as:
Shortly before the Work and Pensions Committee made its findings, the previous government made free school meals and 15-hours free childcare for disadvantaged 2-year-olds permanently available to all households with a low income, regardless of immigration status, in recognition that this was necessary to promote child welfare.
In October 2024, the current government consulted on expanding the healthy start scheme to all low-income families but has not yet implemented any changes or published a response.
We have also submitted evidence to the child poverty taskforce to inform the child poverty strategy, which is due to be published by the end of the year.
Read our recent evidence submissions.
Content updated: 28 October 2025