Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has unveiled the biggest overhaul of asylum laws in the UK in 40 years.
The proposed changes include forcing refugees to return to their home countries if deemed safe, extending the wait time for those arriving illegally to apply for permanent settlement from five years to 20, and potentially removing financial support for families with children under 18 if their asylum claims are rejected.
The package is inspired by Denmark’s stricter approach and has sparked fierce opposition within the Labour Party, raising fears of a rebellion.
In a Commons speech, Mahmood argued that the asylum system feels “out of control and unfair,” warning that failure to reform could fuel further resentment.
The ONS has replaced the outdated International Passenger Survey (IPS) with new administrative databases (RAPID/HOBI) for more accurate migration figures. The result is a revised net migration estimate that is 97,000 lower for the 2021-2024 period, driven by a greater increase in emigration (people leaving) compared to immigration.
Government unveils major asylum and immigration policies
Under the new rules, asylum status will be temporary, reviewed every 30 months, with possible forced returns if the home country is deemed safe (mirroring Denmark). The wait time for permanent residence is extended from five to 20 years. However, a new "work and study" visa route will allow faster settlement and is the only way for refugees to sponsor family members.
The government is overhauling the asylum appeals system by replacing multiple appeal routes with a single consolidated process, managed by a new independent body. Simultaneously, it plans to significantly restrict the application of the right to family life under ECHR Article 8, permitting only immediate family members, such as children or parents, to remain in the UK. Additionally, the Modern Slavery Act will be reformed to require asylum seekers to disclose trafficking claims early, thereby preventing last-minute exploitation of the legislation.
The government also intends to end the legal duty to provide asylum seekers with guaranteed housing and financial support, except for those who are destitute. Asylum seekers with assets will need to contribute to accommodation costs, mirroring Denmark’s system. The use of hotels for housing asylum seekers will end by 2029, saving the government £5.77mn per day.
The UK plans to introduce new legal refugee routes featuring an annual cap on numbers. These routes will include community-led sponsorships, similar to the "Homes for Ukraine" scheme, and an expansion of the Displaced Talent Mobility pilot to let businesses sponsor at-risk individuals to fill skills gaps.
Those arriving through these routes will have a streamlined ten-year path to settlement. The government will impose visa penalties on countries that fail to cooperate with return policies, including visa bans on nations with high asylum claims, such as Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. India is also being considered for similar sanctions.
To enhance enforcement, the UK will roll out AI-driven technology to verify asylum seekers' age and introduce a digital ID system to streamline right-to-work checks and combat illegal employment.
Labour divided over reforms
Former Labour frontbencher Richard Burgon called the policy “a desperate attempt to triangulate with Reform,” while Ian Lavery questioned whether the party was “in the right place” if the Tories and Reform supported it. Stella Creasy warned the plans would leave refugees in “a permanent sense of limbo,” and Nadia Whittome MP labelled it “shameful” that a Labour government was undermining the rights of people who have suffered trauma.
Lord Dubs, a Labour Peer and child refugee from the Holocaust, accused Mahmood of “using children as a weapon.” He argued that children with family in the UK should be reunited with them, calling family reunion the “right thing to do.”
The plans have also garnered support from MPs across other parties. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch described the measures as "positive steps; baby steps, but positive nonetheless." Reform MP Danny Kruger, who switched from the Tories earlier this year, echoed the sentiment, stating, "I recognise the rhetoric of the Home Secretary, she’s announced a plan to restore order and control, while we have our own plan for restoring justice."
