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A person's immigration status will affect their entitlement to public funds (benefits and housing assistance), as well as some other services. Families with no recourse to public funds who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or unable to afford their basic living needs will not be able to access benefits or homelessness assistance. However, Children's Social Care can provide accommodation and financial support when a child is in need due to the parent's lack of access to housing and/or financial resources. 

The support for migrant families web tool has been designed to help social workers and other council officers who are working with non-UK national families to establish what options will be available when a family is in need of accommodation and/or financial support.

Based on the user's answers to questions about the parent's immigration status, the web tool provides general information about:

  • Entitlement to benefits and homelessness assistance
  • What the Council will need to consider if a family requests support from Children's Social Care
  • Immigration options and how to access legal advice
  • Other services they may be able to access and whether they have the right to rent (in England)

The web tool can also be used by other advisers and families themselves to help identify appropriate support routes if the family is in need of assistance, or to find out what immigration options a family might have if they are not yet at crisis point. 

No personal information is taken when the web tool is completed. Users may request that the information provided is emailed to them but the email address is not stored.

The tool was developed in partnership with the University of Oxford's Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) at Oxford University and Soapbox. The project was initially funded by the Legal Education Foundation and has won a community integration award.

The webtool was last updated in July 2022.

Access the web tool

Download a PDF flyer about the tool