But some people enter the country, perhaps as holidaymakers, and then claim asylum at a later date. In this case, they will not be entitled to benefits. Their welfare becomes the responsibility of the local authorities, which have to find them accommodation and provide vouchers for food. Having met the applicant, Home Office officials consider their case. The official can also take the applicant's credibility into account, considering whether they have lied, produced false documents, or changed their behaviour to increase their chances of getting asylum.
Most asylum seekers stay in London boroughs, or in south-east towns.
In some places, however, the backlog for a first interview has grown so long, applicants are faced with a four-year delay. If the Home Office refuses asylum, there is a right of appeal to an adjudicator, and after that to a tribunal. If the decision still goes against the seeker, they may be able to seek a judicial review, which may lead to a further appeal against deportation. The government's controversial attempts to revise the law, still going through Parliament, have a number of elements designed to shake up the procedure. But it has been opposed by some Labour MPs and refugee rights campaigners.