NRPF limits welfare benefits but it does not stop your right to safe housing. If your landlord ignores repairs, you may still have a claim.
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In short
Yes, often. "No Recourse to Public Funds", NRPF, limits which benefits you can claim. It takes away none of your right to a safe home. Do you hold a tenancy, with a landlord who left the home in disrepair? A claim may still stand. Call us free on 0800 030 4669.
What NRPF does and does not do
- It restricts most welfare benefits. Housing benefit and Universal Credit count
- It changes nothing in the landlord's Section 11 duty to keep your home in repair
- It changes nothing in the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which requires a home fit to live in
Where to get NRPF-specific advice
NRPF rules run tangled. Housing and immigration tangle them most. Dedicated help costs nothing:
- Citizens Advice, for housing advice with NRPF awareness
- Project 17, for families with NRPF and children
- The NRPF Network, listing council NRPF teams and other support
If you are at risk of homelessness
Some councils carry a duty to help families even under NRPF. The same holds for adults with care needs. Ask your council's NRPF team.
How we can help
A tenancy, with damp, mould, leaks or no heating left by the landlord? We may be able to help with a disrepair claim. Call us free on 0800 030 4669.
Free call: 0800 030 4669 | Start your claim
Sources
- Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 26 May 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only, not a promise; every case is different.
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Still stuck?
Call us free or start a claim online. We'll tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.