The Refugee Integration Loan is an interest-free loan from the Home Office for eligible adults settling in the UK after refugee status or humanitarian protection. It may help with specified costs such as a housing deposit, essential household items, education or work equipment. It is still a debt: you must repay what you borrow, and the repayment agreement is based on your circumstances.
The current GOV.UK service says an individual application can be for £100 to £500 and a joint application with a partner can be for £100 to £780. These are maximum limits, not guaranteed offers. The Home Office considers each application and may approve less than requested or refuse it. Compare the amount you need with the repayments and check for free or grant-funded help before committing.
This guide covers the loan application, use of funds and repayment planning. It is separate from claiming asylum and from renewing or settling on a protection route. Read the UK asylum process guide for the initial claim, or the refugee permission renewal and settlement guide for permission expiry and next steps.
Who can apply
The live eligibility guidance says you must be over 18 and be one of the following:
- a person granted refugee status;
- a person granted humanitarian protection; or
- a dependant of a refugee or someone with humanitarian protection.
You may apply by yourself or with your husband, wife or partner. The public page says you cannot apply if you are under 18, are an asylum seeker who has been allowed to settle by a decision outside the Immigration Rules, or have previously received an integration loan, including a joint loan. GOV.UK also says an application may be refused if you have been convicted of a criminal offence since arriving in the UK.
The online service does not promise approval simply because you appear to meet these categories. Check that your current immigration decision and dependant status match the service wording. A family member included in an asylum claim may have permission without having been granted refugee status in their own right; GOV.UK expressly says dependants can apply for an integration loan if the main claimant has refugee status or humanitarian protection. If your status wording is unusual or your permission was granted outside the Immigration Rules, ask the Home Office loan team or a regulated adviser before applying.
How much you can request and what the loan can cover
The current published limits are £100–£500 for one applicant and £100–£780 for a joint applicant with a partner. The amount should match the eligible costs you explain in your application. Do not assume that the maximum will be offered or that the Home Office will approve the whole amount you request.
GOV.UK lists these examples of essential costs that can support settling into UK society:
- a housing deposit, rent payment or moving costs;
- essential items for your home;
- education or training;
- basic living costs such as food or household bills; and
- work clothing and equipment.
The published list is about eligible purposes, not an entitlement to each category or a promise that every expense will be approved. Describe the item or cost and how it supports your settlement. For a deposit or move, write down the amount, payment deadline and what the landlord or agent requires. For training, identify the course, cost, timing and connection to work or integration. For equipment, list what is needed and why it is essential.
The page says you cannot use the loan for debts or travel costs for family members to join you in the UK. It also warns that you may be asked to prove how the money was spent and may have to repay it if it is not used for the purpose stated in the application. Keep invoices, receipts, tenancy documents, course confirmation and payment records. If the approved amount or timing changes your plan, contact the loan team before spending the money differently.
Check whether another source can meet the need
Before borrowing, GOV.UK recommends contacting your local Jobcentre Plus to check whether help is available for training, education, work, living or childcare costs. Some support may be available without taking out a repayable loan. The loan overview also points to local refugee community organisations for application help.
Compare options for the same expense. Ask what support exists, whether it is a grant or repayable advance, what it covers, when it can be paid and whether you can combine it with an integration loan. Do not delay an urgent housing payment solely because you are waiting for an uncertain loan decision; check directly with the landlord or provider about deadlines and seek local advice if you are at risk of losing accommodation.
Use a simple shortfall calculation before applying:
- Write the essential cost and the date it is due.
- Subtract money or confirmed help already available for that cost.
- Identify the remaining amount you would need to borrow.
- Compare that request with the current individual or joint maximum.
- Estimate a repayment budget using the official examples below, then leave room for food, utilities, rent and other regular commitments.
This is a planning aid, not the Home Office’s assessment method. Do not borrow simply because a maximum is available. If the cost is smaller, ask for only the amount that addresses the stated need. If it is larger than the cap, look for other support or discuss a different plan rather than assuming the loan will cover the whole shortfall.
Prepare the online application
The online application page says to prepare:
- your Home Office reference number, shown on your asylum application letter;
- bank or building society details for payment;
- your National Insurance number; and
- your biometric residence permit (BRP) number, if you have a BRP and apply less than 18 months after the expiry date printed on it.
If you do not have a National Insurance number, the page says you must apply for one at your local Jobcentre Plus before applying for the loan. For a joint application, the partner also needs a National Insurance number and, where the same 18-month rule applies, their BRP number. Follow the live application’s instructions if your evidence is digital, your BRP is expired, your name has changed, or your details do not match the record.
Before starting, gather a short cost breakdown and any supporting evidence you already have. Useful documents might include a landlord’s deposit request, a moving quote, course fees and dates, or a list and price of essential home items. The public application page does not publish a single universal document checklist for every purpose, so treat these as examples and provide what the service asks for. Keep copies of the form and uploaded evidence for your own records.
Check the account details carefully. The loan is paid directly into a bank or building society account, so confirm that the account can receive the payment and that the details are yours or otherwise acceptable under the application instructions. Do not send bank details by ordinary email to a contact who has not been verified through GOV.UK.
What happens after you apply
The GOV.UK application service is online. The public guidance does not promise a fixed decision time or guarantee that a completed form will be approved. The Home Office may need to consider the request and the stated use. Keep your phone number and email accessible, monitor messages and respond through the channel specified in any genuine request.
If the application is successful, GOV.UK says you will receive a loan agreement setting out repayment. You then need to accept the agreement through the separate official acceptance service, using the loan reference number in the offer letter or email. The loan is paid after you accept the agreement, directly into your bank or building society account. Receiving an offer is not the same as receiving the money: read the agreement first, make sure the terms are clear, and do not accept if you do not understand the amount, payment arrangement or repayment expectations. You may contact the loan team for clarification before accepting.
If you need help completing the form, GOV.UK suggests contacting a local refugee community organisation or the integration loan team. Use the contact details on the current official page. Do not send original identity documents or bank credentials to an unofficial helper; seek help with the form while retaining control of your account and documents.
Plan repayments before accepting
The loan is interest-free, but regular repayments are required. GOV.UK says repayment starts six weeks after you receive the money. The amount and method depend on your circumstances and are set out in your loan agreement. The public page gives these examples: someone receiving Universal Credit will pay back up to £25 a month, while someone working full time will need to pay back £50 a month. It also says repayments may increase and take less time if you start working and your benefits change.
The examples are not a personalised quote and should not replace your agreement. For illustration only, £500 repaid at a constant £25 a month would take 20 months; £500 at £50 a month would take 10 months. The Home Office does not promise either schedule for an individual borrower. If your circumstances change, use the agreement and contact details from the loan team to confirm what you must pay and how to report the change.
Make a monthly budget using money you can reasonably expect after housing, bills, food, travel and other essentials. Set aside the agreed amount from the first repayment date and keep a record of each payment. If a repayment would leave too little for essential costs, ask the loan team what options apply before accepting or as soon as the problem arises. Do not assume a payment can be skipped or reduced without written confirmation.
GOV.UK says the loan will not usually affect income-related benefits unless you have more than £6,000 in savings, and you must tell Jobcentre Plus if you receive an integration loan. Benefit rules can depend on the full facts and the current rules for the benefit you receive. Report the loan as instructed, keep the loan agreement and payment record, and ask the relevant benefit office or a welfare-rights adviser how the money is treated in your circumstances. Do not rely on the general statement to calculate an individual Universal Credit or other benefit award.
Decide whether a joint application is suitable
GOV.UK permits a joint application with a husband, wife or partner and sets a higher total maximum for a joint request. That does not mean a joint request is always better. Compare the essential costs being covered, the offered amount and each person’s circumstances. Ensure both applicants understand the use restrictions and repayment terms before accepting an agreement.
If you apply jointly, gather the additional partner information requested by the service and make sure both people can review the application and agreement. The public overview confirms that a joint loan is available but does not explain every possible change in a couple’s circumstances after borrowing. If you separate, move address or experience a change that affects payment, contact the loan team for guidance rather than assuming one person can stop being responsible.
If the request is refused or the amount is unclear
The public loan pages do not set out a standard appeal deadline for a refused integration-loan application. If you receive a refusal or an offer below the amount requested, read the letter and ask the Home Office loan team to explain the reason and whether further evidence or another route is available. Do not assume that a benefit appeal or immigration appeal process applies to this loan decision.
If the cost remains urgent, revisit the alternatives: Jobcentre Plus support, the provider’s payment options, local authority or voluntary-sector help, and advice from a refugee community organisation. A regulated debt adviser can help you understand the effect of new repayments alongside other debts and essential bills. The loan should be treated as repayable borrowing even though it carries no interest.