For many Nigerians, seeking asylum in the UK begins with fear, hope, and a deep need for safety. But arriving here brings a new set of challenges. Once your asylum claim is submitted, you enter a liminal space: you’re not a tourist, you’re not yet a refugee, and the system can feel confusing, slow, and sometimes dehumanising.
Being an asylum seeker means you’ve asked the UK government for protection because you fear persecution, harm, or serious danger in your home country. You are legally recognised as an asylum seeker while your claim is considered. You are not an “illegal immigrant.” The Home Office has a duty to provide you with information about UK law, culture, and the support available to you while you wait, though in practice, many people find this guidance incomplete or unclear.
If you are destitute without money or safe accommodation, you can apply for support through UK Visas and Immigration. This can include temporary housing in shared accommodation, hostels, or hotels, along with a small weekly allowance for essentials like food, toiletries, and clothing. While modest, this support is a legal entitlement. For example, Chima, arriving alone in the UK with no job, savings, or family, could access accommodation and a weekly allowance to survive while his claim is processed.
Healthcare is another right. As an asylum seeker, you can register with a GP, access emergency care, maternity services, and mental health support. Pregnant asylum seekers, like Ngozi, can attend NHS appointments and receive antenatal care regardless of immigration status. Similarly, children of asylum seekers have the right to attend state schools, allowing them to continue their education and integrate into local communities, even while the family’s case is pending.
Legal advice is available, though it may be limited. Accessing legal aid or support from charities and NGOs can make a real difference, helping applicants present their claims clearly and avoid mistakes. Emeka, for instance, initially struggled to explain his story alone but succeeded in appealing with the help of a legal adviser.
The principle of dignity and respect underpins the asylum system. You have the right to be treated fairly, live safely, and report harassment or abuse in accommodation. Fatima, experiencing harassment, could report her situation and access support or relocation if necessary. Financial support is limited but accessible for those who meet the criteria, like Blessing, who relied on a weekly allowance to buy essentials while waiting for her claim decision.
Work is largely restricted for asylum seekers, a source of frustration for skilled professionals like Ifeanyi, an engineer unable to legally earn a living. Despite this, volunteering can offer purpose and connection, though full participation in the economy remains off-limits until refugee status is granted.
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Safety and protection from removal are fundamental rights. While your claim is pending, you cannot be sent back to a country where you face danger. Musa, for example, arriving with limited English, could receive translated guidance and support to navigate the system, ensuring he knows how to access healthcare, education, and legal advice.
Once refugee status is granted, your rights expand: you can work, access benefits like UK nationals, and enter mainstream housing and support systems. Until then, being an asylum seeker is difficult, but you are not without rights. You have the right to accommodation, healthcare, education for children, legal advice, dignity, safety, and proper consideration of your claim.
For the Nigerian diaspora and those supporting asylum seekers, the most powerful help can be simple: explain these rights clearly, provide guidance during the wait, and remind asylum seekers that they are more than their case numbers, they are human, with rights and dignity that must be respected.
Chijos News is committed to providing diaspora-focused reporting that explains complex UK systems in human terms, ensuring that Nigerians living abroad understand their rights and the resources available to navigate life in the UK while seeking safety.
