3 February 2026
3 February 2026
This factsheet aims to explain what Schedule 10 support is, who is eligible, how to apply, and what happens if the application is refused. It provides only basic information. Updated 03 Feb 2026.
If you still have questions or need further information and advice after reading this factsheet, please contact our advice line on 020 3716 0283. It is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2pm to 4pm. Please note, this is a ‘second-tier’ advice line. This means that we can give advice to other advice workers but not to individual clients.
The Home Office offers support to destitute people who have claimed asylum either through Section 95 or Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. However, it is also possible to get financial help and accommodation through schedule 10, paragraph 9 of the Immigration Act 2016 (IA16).
This avenue is support for people who are on immigration bail and who cannot apply for section 4 or section 95 support. Typical examples are: people who have never claimed asylum but have another kind of application outstanding, people who once claimed asylum but absconded or withdrew their asylum claims and certain categories of foreign national offenders.
Below is the eligibility criteria under schedule 10, paragraph 9, IA16, and how this works in practice
Anyone who is liable to detention or is detained under immigration powersis eligable to be granted bail.
This means that, for example, an asylum seeker or a refused asylum seeker is likely to be on immigration bail even if they have never been detained.
The Home Office policy confirms that a residency condition need not be imposed before the person applies for schedule 10. In practice this means the person must have nowhere to live and operates in a way similar to the destitution test.
The Schedule 10 accomodation policy explains that schedule 10 will be provided to those who would suffer a breach of human rights if support was not provided, and those who are high harm foreign national offenders or Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) cases.
The Accommodation under schedule 10 to the Immigration Act 2016 policy The hyperlink will take readers to the HO offender management page; to find the exact policy scroll down the page. Please be aware that the Home Office has published two other relevant policy documents: “Immigration bail” & “Immigration bail: interim guidance”. states it may not be appropriate to provide Schedule 10 if someone is eligible for other forms of statutory support. It is important to be aware that if someone who is eligible for section 4 or section 95 applies for schedule 10 it will be necessary to make a separate application on an ASF1 form for the relevant type of support.
The largest cohort probably eligible for schedule 10, that refugee frontline organisations are likely to come across, are those whose asylum claims are withdrawn. If an asylum claim is either explicitly withdrawn by the individual or treated as implicitly withdrawn by the Home Office they will not be considered as an asylum seeker or a refused asylum seeker. Therefore, this group is not entitled to section 4 or section 95 support, please see Factsheet 24 and call our advice line. To qualify for schedule 10 support, the person should generally have taken steps to restart their asylum application.
There are other groups who are eligible for schedule 10 support. For example, those who have never claimed asylum but have an outstanding immigration application and therefore cannot leave the UK. And those who are unable to leave for medical reasons or are taking steps to leave but need support whilst their departure is organised.
The application must be made on the Bail 409 Form. The form can be submitted via Migrant Help’s s4 email address (S4@migranthelpuk.org) or by post. It is important to be aware however, that Migrant Help do not assist in the filling out of the form. If the person is an foreign national offender they must send the application to the foreign national offender returns command accommodation team (fnorcaccommodationteam@homeoffice.gov.uk).
Please note that there are two questions towards the end of Section 3 of the form which relate to requesting immigration bail conditions to be varied to impose a residence condition.
Should someone need to request a variation of bail on the Bail 409, you should be aware of the Immigration Advice Authority implications. Asylum support law is not subject to Immigration Advice Authority regulation but we understand that an application for variation of bail is. Please read the Immigration Advice Authority guidance note on completing Schedule 10 applications here.
A fundamental difference with schedule 10 support when compared with section 4 or section 95 is that support is not provided to dependents who would need to make their own independent application for schedule 10 support. In practice therefore, it is not common for families to be on schedule 10 support, as often they will be eligible for section 17 support from their local authority.
Those on schedule 10 support will also not be eligible for free secondary medical care.
Beyond this, schedule 10 largely looks like section 4 support. The weekly support amount is the same and the accommodation from the same providers as s4 support. Financial support is provided through the ASPEN card, and, like section 4, cannot be used to take out cash.
There is no right of appeal against a refusal of schedule 10 support. The only legal remedy is a judicial review. This is a significant difference between schedule 10 and section 4/section 95 support where refusal brings a right of appeal to the Asylum Support Tribunal.