The move-on period is the short time between someone being granted refugee status and having to leave asylum accommodation and begin rebuilding their life in the UK. During this time, most people and families will need to find new housing, open a bank account, apply for mainstream benefits, and look for work. That is a huge amount to do in a very short space of time. For people who have often spent years in limbo in the asylum system deliberately excluded from mainstream services and denied things like the right to work, the right to rent, and the ability to drive, this period can be intensely busy and deeply stressful. It also creates a real risk of homelessness and destitution.

The Home Office has now updated its guidance on what happens after someone is granted refugee status and leaves asylum support. The guidance says that, from 9 March 2026, the legal period is still 28 days, but in practice a person can usually keep getting asylum support for 42 days after a positive asylum decision. The Home Office guidance, Ceasing section 95 support instruction (version 7) says it has been updated to reflect a revised 42-day grace period. The DWP’s refugee benefits guidance now says the same thing that asylum support ends after 42 days (6 weeks).

This follows several changes to the move-on period. In December 2024, public guidance was updated to say asylum support would end 56 days (8 weeks) after refugee status was granted. Then, in September 2025, that was reduced for many people, with the same official page saying that most single adults would go back to 28 days (4 weeks), while some groups would still get 56 days (8 weeks). Now, from 9 March 2026, the same page says asylum support ends after 42 days (6 weeks).

What does this mean in practice?

The March 2026 guidance says that when an asylum claim is granted, the person should first receive a grant letter. This should be sent with an “Urgent things you need to do” leaflet. The Home Office should also create a UKVI account so the person can access their eVisa. 

The Home Office guidance says a person should first get their grant letter. After that, the Home Office should issue an asylum support discontinuation letter, which gives the exact date their asylum support will end.  The asylum support discontinuation letter should include the person’s UKVI account details and National Insurance number (NINO), where available. The Home Office will work out the asylum support end date by starting from the date of the grant letter and counting 42 days forward. But the person should still get at least 28 days’ notice from the asylum support discontinuation letter. If the discontinuation letter is sent by post, the Home Office adds 2 extra calendar days. If the end date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, it should move to the next working day. For example, if a person gets their grant letter on 10 March 2026 and the discontinuation letter is emailed the same day, their asylum support should usually end on 21 April 2026. But if the discontinuation letter is sent later, the end date may need to be pushed back so the person still gets at least 28 days notice. 

The Home Office guidance says no new asylum support payments should be added after the end date, but the payment card should stay open for 28 more days. The guidance does not say why. If the person is living in asylum accommodation, the accommodation provider should issue a notice to quit giving at least 7 days’ notice. 

It is also important to be clear that extensions and reinstatements are still possible, including after the usual 42-day period, but they are not automatic and requests must be made. The Home Office says these requests are considered case by case.

For many people, 42 days will still be too short. But it is still an important change from the position that applied to most single adults after the 56-day pilot was cut back.