Lambeth Council strives to provide access to services, support and a variety of activities to people who are fleeing violence and persecution in their own countries.
Welcome to Lambeth
As a diverse and inclusive borough, we welcome everyone seeking sanctuary. Our welcome packs, translated into the most commonly spoken languages among sanctuary seekers, provide important information to help you settle into our community.
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers English (PDF, 1.07MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Albanian (PDF, 1.08MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Arabic (PDF, 1.20MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers French (PDF, 1.13MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Georgian (PDF, 1.19MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Kurdish (PDF, 1.23MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Pashto (PDF, 1.22MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Persian (PDF, 1.33MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Russian (PDF, 1.20MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Spanish (PDF, 1.10MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Tigrinya (PDF, 1.14MB)
Welcome pack for sanctuary seekers Urdu (PDF, 1.28MB)
Healthcare
The main way to access healthcare in the UK is through a local doctor called a General Practitioner (GP). You can register with a GP on the NHS website or speak to the hotel manager/staff who will assist you to register.
Registering with a GP is free and you do not need proof of address, proof of immigration status, identification or an NHS number.
Entitlements
There are a many entitlements that people seeking asylum can access in the UK.
General entitlements include:
- three meals a day
- clothes washing once a week
- change of bed linen once a week
- toiletries upon request - e.g. shower gel, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, sanitary products
Entitlements for expecting mothers and babies include:
- a moses basket/cot and bedding
- nappies
- bottles
- sterilisation equipment
- powdered milk (for babies up to one-year old)
- a baby bath
- a highchair (for babies over 6-months old)
- baby food
- maternity pads
Travel entitlements include:
- transport services to asylum hearings and medical hearings as requested by the Home Office - you must request transport from the hotel reception at least 24 hours before your hospital appointment
If you have a complaint about the provision of any of these entitlements, please contact Migrant Help on 0808 8010 503.
Please be assured that making a complaint will not affect the service you receive or your asylum claim.
For further details or advice on what you are entitled to please speak to your hotel manager/staff.
English language classes
The government provides funding for English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) classes for people seeking asylum who have been waiting 6 months or more for a response to their asylum application.
See our list of ESOL providers and courses within Lambeth
Education for children and young people
School and college admissions
All children and young people who are school-aged will need to apply for a school or college place as soon as possible. See a list of all Lambeth schools and colleges.
You can complete a school or college application online or by sending in a scanned paper version. Please speak to the hotel manager/staff for assistance with this.
Help to buy uniforms and school supplies
All children seeking asylum who attend school are eligible for £100 each to spend on uniforms and other necessary school supplies.
For more information, read the Lambeth Sanctuary Services uniform and school supplies policy (PDF 109KB)
Public transport in London
The Oyster card is a payment method used for public transport in London.
You are entitled to reduced and free travel with an Oyster photocard if you are:
- a young person aged 11 to 17
- aged 60 plus and live in London
For help to apply for the Oyster photocard there will be volunteer support provided at your hotel on a monthly basis.
For more information about the Oyster photocard and to apply yourself, please see the following Transport for London (TfL) pages:
Activities in Lambeth
There are many different activities that people seeking asylum in Lambeth can access, ranging from sports and meal sharing to family play.
We will be providing a list of activities here soon.
Volunteering in the community
We value the contribution that people seeking asylum want to make to their new community. People seeking asylum are restricted from gaining employment, however, we want to help prepare people seeking asylum for the workforce upon receiving their Leave to Remain.
We are currently creating a volunteering scheme where asylum seekers can contribute their skills and learn new ones, integrate into the community, meet people and learn English.
Safeguarding concerns
If you have any safeguarding concerns, for example, if you are worried about the physical or mental wellbeing of yourself or another person living in the hotel, please speak to the hotel manager/staff who will help you to access the appropriate support.
You can also report a safeguarding concern on the Lambeth Council website.
Contact us
If you would like to get in touch with Lambeth Sanctuary Services, please email us at sanctuary@lambeth.gov.uk