Guidance and advice for councils

Table of Contents

    Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) welcome programme – information for local authorities

    The government has produced information for local councils and others who are working with BN(O) status holders arriving from Hong Kong.

    ESOL and destitution support for local authorities

    Arrivals on the Hong Kong BN(O) visa scheme are eligible to receive up to £850 of English language courses in 2023/24 and 2024/25. The process to access these language courses (English for Speakers of Other Languages or ‘ESOL’) is as follows:

    • The HK BN(O) visa holder contacts the local authority to find out how to apply.
    • The local authority informs the HK BN(O) visa holder which ESOL providers and which courses they can access.
    • The HK BN(O) visa holder provides proof of their visa status to the local authority (e.g. share code).
    • The HK BN(O) visa holder attends the course for free (the learning provider should never charge the HK BN(O) holder for this tuition).
    • Local authorities can claim back the funding via DELTA .

    Local authorities can also claim for the costs of providing support to a person on the BN(O) route where they have seen evidence that they are destitute or at risk of destitution.

    A Change of Conditions application to lift a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) status must be made prior to the local authority submitting a claim to MHCLG. The costs of providing support to the status holder and their household can be met until either the NRPF condition has been lifted or if the upper limit of £2,720 per household has been reached, if this comes first.

    Where a person on the BN(O) route approaches their local authority for support before submitting a Change of Conditions application, they should be encouraged to make the application as soon as reasonably practicable.

    Gov UK has produced updated guidance (15 March 2024) on access to public funds within family, private life and Hong Kong BN(O) routes. Find out more about the UK government’s advice on the application for change of conditions of leave to allow access to public funds.

    How to remove an NRPF condition

    Free Movement Article – NRPF

    Hongkongers in Britain – cultural booklet

    Hongkongers in Britain has developed a cultural booklet which includes demographic information of Hongkongers in the UK, as well as stories and lived experience of Hongkongers in the UK. The booklet is a useful tool for local communities to get to know the newly arrived Hong Kong community.

    For Employers

    For Local Authorities thinking or planning to employ Hongkongers, The Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers has developed useful guide for employers, about employing BN(O) Hongkongers. The guide provides information about the visa scheme, background about BN(O)’s, statistics and recommendations for working with Hongkongers.