Immigration Act 2016 changes to asylum and local authority support
Guidance for councils
Provided by:
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28 April 2026
Contents
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1.
Overview of changes and impacts
1.1 Summary of changes
1.1.1 Overview of IA 2016 measures
1.1.2 Home Office asylum support (UK wide)
1.1.3 Local authority support for families (England)
1.1.4 Local authority support for care leavers (England)
1.2 What will not change
1.2.1 UK wide
1.2.2 England
1.2.3 Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
1.3 Why the changes are being implemented now
1.4 Implications for councils
1.4.1 Asylum support changes
1.4.2 Local authority support changes
1.5 What happens next
2.
Home Office support for ARE asylum-seekers
2.1 Current support arrangements
2.1.1 Support for people with a pending asylum claim
2.1.2 Support for ARE asylum-seekers
2.2 What will change
2.2.1 When section 95 support will end (grace period)
2.2.2 Section 95A Support for people who have a ‘genuine obstacle to return’
2.2.3 Section 95 Support for people who make further submissions or apply for judicial review
2.2.4 Transitional arrangements
2.2.5 Gaps in Home Office support for ARE asylum-seekers
3.
Local authority support for families (England)
3.1 Current support arrangements
3.1.1 Supporting families under section 17
3.1.2 Support for asylum-seeking families
3.1.3 Supporting families who are without lawful status
3.2 Changes to support for families who are without lawful status
3.2.1 Eligibility for paragraph 10A support
3.2.2 Supporting ARE asylum-seeking families under paragraph 10A
3.2.3 Interim support
3.2.4 What support can be provided
3.2.5 Transitional arrangements for families already receiving section 17 support
3.3 What will not change
3.4 A two-tier system
4.
Local authority support for care leavers (England)
4.1 Current support arrangements
4.1.1 Leaving care provisions of the Children Act 1989
4.1.2 Support for care leavers without lawful status
4.1.3 When a care leaver can be supported by the Home Office
4.2 Changes to support for ARE care leavers
4.2.1 Summary of changes
4.2.2 Continuing leaving care support: first Article 8 application
4.2.3 Section 95A Home Office support
4.2.4 Paragraph 10B local authority support
4.2.5 Transitional arrangements
4.2.6 Higher education funding
4.3 What will not change