No recourse to public funds
Why does the UK ban migrants from claiming benefits, and what are the arguments for and against this 'no recourse to public funds' policy?

Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention is concerned with "refugees unlawfully in the country of refuge."
Article 31 of the Refugee Convention (114 KB , PDF)
Article 31 is often raised by people concerned about asylum abuse, and asylum rights defenders, in the context of debates about:
These issues are central to the Government’s New Plan for Immigration policy statement (March 2021), and the related Nationality and Borders Bill which is currently before Parliament.
This short briefing provides an overview of Article 31 and its relevance to the Government’s new asylum proposals. A separate Library briefing (CBP 9725) provides additional background about provisions in the Nationality and Borders Bill.
Article 31 of the Refugee Convention (114 KB , PDF)
Why does the UK ban migrants from claiming benefits, and what are the arguments for and against this 'no recourse to public funds' policy?
This briefing summarises statistics on asylum seekers in the UK and refugees who arrive through resettlement programmes.
A short history of UK immigration, asylum and citizenship policy through the lens of government white papers.