Free Asylum Resources
Why These Guides Exist
Every day, we receive enquiries from asylum seekers looking for legal representation. The majority are seeking Legal Aid, which we no longer provide. After 13 years of Legal Aid asylum work, we transitioned to privately funded immigration services. While we continue to represent asylum clients who can afford private fees, we recognize that most asylum seekers cannot.
The UK is experiencing a severe shortage of Legal Aid asylum providers. People who need legal help cannot access it. The gap between need and available representation grows wider each year.
These guides are our contribution to addressing that crisis. They provide practical information for asylum seekers who have no alternative to self-representation. We hope they help people understand the process they face and make informed decisions about their claims.
What Migrant Law Partnership Does (and Doesn’t Do)
We do not provide Legal Aid asylum services. We stopped Legal Aid work in 2025
We do provide privately funded asylum representation for clients who can afford our services. If you can pay privately for expert legal help with your asylum claim or appeal, contact us to discuss whether we can assist.
If you need Legal Aid representation, these guides are designed to help you while you search for a Legal Aid solicitor. See the section below on finding Legal Aid help.
The Guides
Making an Asylum Claim in the UK: A Self-Help Guide
This guide explains the asylum application process from start to finish. It covers:
- What asylum is and who qualifies
- How irregular entry affects your claim (and future settlement)
- The three critical questions that cause claims to fail (non-state persecution, internal relocation, state protection)
- How to claim asylum
- What happens at your substantive interview
- Understanding your decision
- When you absolutely must get legal help
- Where to find Legal Aid representation
Asylum Appeals: A Self-Help Guide
If your asylum claim has been refused, you have the right to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. This guide explains:
- Understanding your refusal decision
- How asylum appeals work
- Preparing your appeal
- What happens at the tribunal hearing
- After the hearing: what next?
Read the guide → (Coming soon)
Where to Find Legal Aid Help
These guides cannot replace legal representation. Professional legal help significantly improves your chances of success. Legal Aid is available from other firms.
To find Legal Aid asylum solicitors:
- Law Society Find a Solicitor: lawsociety.org.uk/find-a-solicitor
Filter by “Immigration – Asylum” and “Legal aid available” - Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA): ilpa.org.uk
Directory of immigration lawyers
Be aware that many Legal Aid providers have waiting lists or are not taking new clients. You may need to contact multiple firms.
If you cannot find Legal Aid representation, these guides provide information to help you understand the process and represent yourself. However, self-representation is extremely difficult and significantly reduces your chances of success.
Other Essential Resources
Right to Remain: righttoremain.org.uk
Right to Remain provides an excellent asylum toolkit available in multiple languages. Their resources are comprehensive and community-focused. These guides complement their work by adding a solicitor’s perspective on the process. We recommend using both resources together.
Refugee Council: refugeecouncil.org.uk
Support services, advice, and casework for asylum seekers
Freedom from Torture: freedomfromtorture.org
Specialist support and medical evidence for torture survivors
Important Disclaimer
These guides provide general information only. They are not legal advice and do not create a solicitor-client relationship.
Immigration and asylum law is complex. Individual circumstances vary significantly. These guides explain the process and what to expect, but cannot tell you whether your claim will succeed or provide advice specific to your situation.
Professional legal advice is strongly recommended. If you cannot access legal representation, use these guides alongside other resources, particularly Right to Remain’s toolkit.
Every asylum case is different. While we have tried to make these guides as accurate and helpful as possible, they cannot replace professional legal advice about your specific circumstances.
About These Guides
These guides are provided by Migrant Law Partnership, a not-for-profit immigration law firm in London. We provide this information as a public service. We receive no funding for creating these resources and expect no commercial benefit from them.
We recognize the access to justice crisis in asylum law. While we cannot provide Legal Aid representation, we can share our expertise to help those who have no alternative.
These guides will be updated periodically as the law changes, but immigration rules change frequently. Always check that the information is current.
If you find errors or have suggestions for improvements, please contact us.
Last updated: February 2026