Resources

In this page, you will find resources to support you in a variety of matters, including claiming benefits in the UK, immigration, children and young people, and more.

Children & Young People Resources

Benefit Factsheets

Informative documents detailing everything you need to know about key benefits in the UK, in Spanish.

Universal Credit Factsheet

Child Benefit
Factsheet

National Insurance Number Factsheet

Council Housing
Factsheet

General Resources

Please see below a compiled list of helpful resources about a range of key topics, including housing, benefits, health and wellbeing, domestic abuse, and more.
Resources available in Spanish and/or Portuguese are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Cost of Living

Help with the Cost of Living – Resources from london.gov to support you throughout the cost of living crisis

COVID-19 Information

NHS Coronavirus Page – Official government advice for COVID-19.

Doctors of the World Translated Guides* – Latest COVID-19 guidance translated into 60 languages

COVID-19 Infographics* – Infographics with useful information, translated in several languages

COVID-19 Migrant Information Service – Collection of resources for migrants with translations (select language in drop-down menu on the upper right)

Employment

Employment Rights Hub* – Official government guidance on employment rights, translated into 20 languages

Modern Slavery & COVID-19: How to get help* – Guidance on how to spot modern slavery and help for victims, translated into 11 languages

Benefits

Benefits Calculator – Allows you to calculate which benefits you are entitled to in the UK.

Universal Credit and You – Official government guidance on Universal Credit

Claiming Universal Credit and other Benefits if you are a Refugee – Official government guidance for refugees

Help if your immigration status limits what benefits you can claim – Support from london.gov for immigrants with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)

Prestaciones y Subsidios de la Seguridad Social británica* – Guide in Spanish by the Spanish Embassy on UK benefits

Housing & Homelessness

Streetlink – To report someone sleeping rough and connect them with a local service

The Pavement Services Finder – Extensive list of homelessness services in the UK with easy-to-use filters

Migrant Information Hub* (Spanish) – Translated guides in Spanish for people struggling with rent, temporary accommodation, or homelessness

Migrant Information Hub* (Portuguese) – Translated guides in Portuguese for people struggling with rent, temporary accommodation, or homelessness

Asylum Seekers

Asylum & Refugee Hub (Mayor of London) – Information and resources for asylum seekers and refugees from the london.gov

Asylum Crisis (London) –if you are an asylum seeker in London and you need accommodation or support or your support has been refused or terminated, this service can help you.

Phone: 0207 952 1599

EU Settlement Scheme

EU Settlement Scheme Factsheet* – Official government factsheet, translated into several languages

Booklet: How to Apply for the EUSS* – Instructions for applying to the EUSS, translated in 7 languages

Applying for Settled Status*: A Guide for Pre-Settled Status Holders – A guide by New Europeans on how to apply for settled status if you have pre-settled status (in Spanish)

Managing your EUSS Status* – Videos and documents from New Europeans UK with instructions on how to access, manage, and prove your EUSS status, translated into several languages

The AIRE Centre – Free legal advice and representation for EEA nationals

Praxis – Advice and helpline for vulnerable EU citizens

Helplines

Rights of Women EU Settlement Scheme Advice Line: 020 7118 0267
For vulnerable women (victims of Violence Against Women and Girls) who are EU citizens

Domestic Abuse

National Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 2000 247

Women’s Aid Resources – Guides and resources compiled by Women’s Aid

Chayn* – Crowdsourced resources and guides on domestic abuse and mental health, translated into several languages

Bright Sky App – Downloadable app for your phone with advice and resources

Citizen’s Advice – List of resources and support available for both male and female victims of domestic abuse

Boots Pharmacy have committed themselves to providing safe spaces for victims of domestic abuse. If you feel unsafe for any reason, you can go to your local Boots Pharmacy and its consultation room will be offered as a safe space for you to access help, for example through a helpline.

Health & Wellbeing

Living with Worry and Anxiety Amongst Global Uncertainty* – Free guide by Psychology tools, translated into many languages.

Mental Health Information* – Translated guides from the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Action for Happiness Calendar – Daily actions you can take for your wellbeing.

Helplines

Samaritans: 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Samaritans provide free, confidential phone line for people suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts. They also have an email service if you prefer to write down your thoughts and don’t need to speak to someone instantly.

Mind Infoline: 0300 123 3393
For mental health information and signposting

Mind Legal Line: 0300 466 6463
Advice on Mental Health law

Children & School

Menchú Nursery – Bilingual English/Spanish nursery for children aged 2-5. Free hours available for parents from low-income families.

Parental Involvement Support* – Translated guides in several languages by The Bell Foundation, designed to help non-English-speaking parents to understand and get involved in their children’s UK schooling

Mindheart* – Activity book for children on COVID-19, available in many languages

General Helplines

General Helplines

Citizen’s Advice: 0800 144 8848 (National), 0808 278 7835 (Camden), 020 8438 1249 (Brent)

Citizen’s Advice provides free advice on immigration, housing, family, debt, benefits, and more. Ask for an interpreter if you have difficulties with English.

Helplines for Women

Latin American Women’s Right Service (LAWRs) Helpline: 0808 145 4909

Latin American Women’s Aid Domestic Violence Helpline: 020 7275 0321

Immigration Helpline: 020 7490 7689

Family Law Helpline: 020 7251 6577 (National), 020 7608 1137 (London)

Sexual Harassment at Work Helpline: 020 7490 0152

Helplines for Men

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) Helpline: 0800 58 58 58
CALM is for anyone who is dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts, but their work focuses on men’s mental health. There is also a web chat on their website.

Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 8010327

Immigration Resources

Please see below a compiled list of helpful immigration resources.
Resources available in Spanish and/or Portuguese are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Government Resources

New Immigration System: What You Need To Know (gov.uk)

Check if you need a UK Visa (gov.uk)

Check if you can become a UK citizen (gov.uk)

Guides and Support

Migrant Help Asylum Guide*
Information in Spanish about claiming asylum in the UK.

Help if your immigration status limits what benefits you can claim
Support from london.gov for immigrants with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)

Wanstead and Woodford Migrant Support
For residents of Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Newham, Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Essex. WWMS’s immigration solicitor is a Spanish speaker. Email contact@wwms.org.uk to get in touch.

Citizens Advice
Free advice (online, phone, or in-person). You can request an interpreter if you have difficulties with English.

Law Centres
Free legal advice and resources.

OISC Adviser Finder
Search tool to help you find an adviser. You can sort by free services.

Support for Migrant Families – Information on support that migrant families can access if they have no recourse to public funds.

Legal Aid
Check if you are entitled to receive help with legal costs

Guía: Conoce tus Derechos (Spanish)*
Full translated guide on your rights as a migrant in the UK, created by the Migrant’s Rights Network

Guia: Conheça seus Direitos (Portugues)*
Full translated guide on your rights as a migrant in the UK, created by the Migrant’s Rights Network

English Language (ESOL) for Resettlement: Guidance document for London
Guide to ESOL (English as a Second Language) Learning for people entering the country via a resettlement, asylum, or refugee scheme.

Helplines

Irregular Migrant Helpline: 020 7553 7470
If you are in the UK without status and need legal advice, call the JCWI’s helpline on 020 7553 7470. It is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10am and 1pm. The helpline is confidential and advice is free. Calls cost up to 13p per minute from landlines, 3p to 55p from mobiles.

Free Immigration Advice Helpline (French & English): 0207 440 2669
Asylum and immigration advice in French and English. Available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10:30am – 1:30pm

Partner Organisations

Indoamerican Refugee Migrant Organisation (IRMO)

EU Settlement Scheme Resources

Please see below a compiled list of helpful resources and information about the EU Settlement Scheme.
Resources available in Spanish and/or Portuguese are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Accessing the EU Settlement Scheme Advice Service

How can I get help with my EU Settlement Scheme application?

The Latin American House EU Settlement Scheme Advice Service has ended, but we are working with New Europeans to continue providing support to our users.

If, after reading the information on this page, you still need help, please contact info@casalatina.org.uk. We will refer your case to New Europeans and get in touch to arrange a Zoom call.

You can also contact New Europeans directly via email (help@neweuropeans.uk) or WhatsApp (+44 7367 095176). The advice line is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 10 AM to 5 PM.

Please note that:

(1) Most people can no longer apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. There are a few exceptions, such as for Family Permits and if you can prove “reasonable grounds” as to why you didn’t apply by the 30th June 2021 – find out more here.

(2) The application is free, as is our service.

Is there a drop-in service?

There is currently not a drop in-service for EUSS advice.

Instead, we recommend using the New Europeans advice line. You can contact New Europeans directly via email (help@neweuropeans.uk) or WhatsApp (+44 7367 095176). The advice line is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 10 AM to 5 PM.

Where can I find more information in Spanish or Portuguese?

Click here to see all the information on the EU Settlement Scheme in English or here to read it in other languages.

Check out IRMO’s guide on the subject, “Lo que necesitas saber al mudarse al Reino Unido” and their Frequently Asked Questions on the EUSS.

New Europeans has a wide range of useful resources translated into several languages, including Spanish and Portuguese. Find all their resources here.

Other helpful organisations.

Applying to the EU Settlement Scheme

What Is the EU Settlement Scheme?

Due to Brexit, all EU citizens and their family members in the UK who were in the UK before the 31st December 2020 need to request a residence permit through a programme called the EU Settlement Scheme.

This permit is called Pre-Settled Status if it is for 5 years, and Settled Status if it is indefinite.

Can I still apply?

For the most part, no, as applications for the EU Settlement Scheme closed on the 30th June 2021.

You can now only apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if you were living in the UK before the 31st December 2020 and also if you:

Have a justifiable reason to be applying late, and have evidence of this
Wish to update a Pre-Settled status (temporary leave to remain) to a Settled Status (indefinite leave to remain)
Wish to join a family member in the UK

Does the application process cost anything?

No. The only case in which you might have to pay is if you have a biometric appointment and you choose to pay for it rather than wait for a free appointment.

What happens after you apply to the EU Settlement Scheme

I sent in my application but I don’t have a response. What do I do?

To inquire about an ongoing application, you can write to the Home Office or contact the Settlement Resolution Centre on 0300 123 7379. Make sure you have you UAN (Unique Application Number)

We recommend that you first check all of your inbox folders to check whether they have not contacted you asking for further evidence, or indeed to grant you your Status.

Once you’ve done this, you can immediately check if you have received your Status here.

Once my application has been approved, will I receive a physical card or document?

Your Status is digital only, and you will be notified by email. If you are an EU citizen, you will NOT receive any physical document. To see and check your Status you need to log in here with the number of the ID document you used in your application, and the number and email you registered with. You need to log in to your Status page online every time you want to update the personal information associated with your Status, such as your phone number, email, address, ID document, etc.

How do I update or replace my Biometric Residence Card (BRC)?

To update your Biometric Residence Card (BRC), you will have to follow the steps outlined in this page.

You will have to do this if:

Your BRC is expired, stolen, or damaged
You have changed your name, nationality, facial appearance, date of birth, or gender
You want to exchange your old BRC under the former European rules for an up-to-date one – that is to say, one expedited under the EU Settlement Scheme.
You want to change a BRC that shows Pre-Settled Status for one that shows Settled Status

Do I need to update my phone number, email, and other information linked to my application or my Status?

Yes! If you don’t update the phone number and email connected to your status each time you change then you can get stuck when trying to see and access your Status. You also need to make sure your ID and address are up to date.

If your application is still ongoing, you can update your information here.

Once your application is approved, you need to access your settled or pre-settled status with the same ID number and the same phone number or email than the one you registered with. Then go to “Updte your details” and follow the steps.

What if I have to renew my passport or European ID card (e.g: Spanish DNI)?

You need to inform the Home Office if you renew the passport or ID card linked to your status. You will need to physically send the new document to the Home Office by mail (it will then be returned to you). The process is as follows:

1 – Access your profile (your Status online) and click on “update your Details”

2 – Select “Identity Documents” and update the information following the steps

3 – You will need to upload a photo of the new document

How can I check my Status?

To see your Status, you need to log in with the same ID number and the same phone number or email that you used to apply.

If you are asked for a 9-digit ID code (“share code”) for any government request (for example Universal Credit applications) you will also need to log in to your status. From there, go to “Prove my status to someone else” and follow the steps.

This video in Spanish by IRMO shows you how to manage your profile and get your share code.

NOTE: Having Pre-Settled Status does not automatically entitle you to Universal Credit.

What has changed since January and June 2021?

The free movement of persons stopped applying in the UK as of the 1st of January 2021.

EU citizens who wish to enter the UK as tourists can do so for a maximum of 6 months without requiring a visa. All citizens who wish to enter the UK for other reasons, such as working of studying, will need to request a visa beforehand.
The Spanish national identity document (DNI) stopped being a valid travel document on the 1st October 2021 except for those who have their DNI linked to their Settled or Pre-Settled status.
If you have already applied but you are still awaiting a response from the Home Officer, you will need to traver with a valid passport or DNI and the “Certificate of Application” (COA) that was sent to you by email when you applied.
EU citizens who travel to the UK without the COA or without a valid EU Settlement status could be subject to a series of questions about their motives for staying in the UK. The immigration agent at the border will decide if they can enter as a tourist to the UK or if they are deported.
EU citizens with COA or an approved EU Settlement Scheme status have access to a UKVI online account, with which they can proove their rights. Do note that the “View and Prove” service which generates a security code proving your migration status in the UK is now valid for 90 days instead of 30 days, as it was before.

I have pre-settled status, but I have been out of the UK for more than 6 months without being able to come back. What do I do?

You have two options.

The first is to inform the Home Office Settlement Resolution Centre and keep any evidence that shows you were not able to return (e.g.: flight cancellations)

The second option is to re-apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

You can write to the Settlement Resolution Centre online or you can call 0300 123 7379. If you are calling from abroad, call 0044 203 080 0010.

Changes to the EU Settlement Scheme

Can I still apply for the EU Settlement Scheme?

You can now only apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if you were living in the UK before the 31st December 2020 and also if you:

Have a justifiable reason to be applying late, and have evidence of this
Wish to update a Pre-Settled status (temporary leave to remain) to a Settled Status (indefinite leave to remain)
Wish to join a family member in the UK

Can I regroup my family under the EUSS Settlement Scheme after the 31st December 2020?

As of the 1st of July, under the new rules, you can only regroup family members belonging to these 4 categories:

1. Spouses, Civil Partners, or non-married couple

2. Children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren under 21 years old

3. Children, grandchildren, or great-children over 21 years old who are dependents

4. Parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents who are dependents

You can find more information about this here.

You can also directly ask any questions about Family Permits through the UK Visas & Immigration Customer Contact Centre on 0300 790 6268.

Children & Young People Resources

Please see below a compiled list of helpful resources for Children & Young People.
Resources available in Spanish and/or Portuguese are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Education

Guia de Llegada al Reino Unido para Familias* (IRMO)

El sistema de educación escolar en el Reino Unido – Guía completa 2023 (Britishpidya)

Apply for a primary school place (gov.uk)

Apply for a secondary school place (gov.uk)

Wellbeing

Place2Be Wellbeing Resources – Place2Be is a charity dedicated to children’s mental health. In this link, you will find various resources such as creative activities, guides to starting school and exams, and more.

NHS Healthier Families – This NHS website contains ideas for getting your children moving, healthy recipes, and more.

Young Minds – Several resources designed by professionals to help children and young people navigate trauma, anxiety, self-harm, and more.

Autism (with thanks to OAR)

The following Spanish-speaking resources have been shared with us courtesy of the Organisation for Autism Research.

Kit for Kids Activity Workbook

Grados K-1 (6-7 años)*

Grados 2-3 (7-8 años)*

Grados 4-5 (9-10 años)*

Grades 6-8 (11-13 años)*

Guides

Guía de investigación para padres*

Guía del educador sobre el autismo*

Guía del educador sobre el síndrome de Asperger*

Guía para la transición a la edad adulta*

More Bilingual Resources

El crecimiento sano de tu hij@*

¡Es mejor saberlo!*

Refugees & Asylum Seekers

Supporting refugee and asylum seeking children – Information for educators from Young Minds on how to best support refugee and asylum seeking children, including parent insights and a guide to trauma-informed practice.

Your Guide to Claiming Asylum as a Separated Child in the UK – A guide from Refugee Council designed for separated children claiming asylum in the UK

Maternity Care in the UK for women on asylum support – A guide from Refugee Council designed for expecting mothers on asylum support

Resources

Benefit Factsheets

Universal Credit Factsheet

Child Benefit Factsheet

National Insurance Number Factsheet

Council Housing Factsheet

General Resources

Immigration Resources

EU Settlement Scheme Resources

Children & Young People Resources

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