The UK government has announced it will make the refugee status temporary and increase the waiting period for obtaining permanent residency fourfold to become 20 years, in the most comprehensive reform of asylum policy in the modern era.
The Labour government is tightening its immigration policies, particularly concerning the illegal crossing of small boats from France. The Home Office stated in a briefing that as part of these changes, the legal duty to provide support for some asylum seekers, including housing and weekly allowances, will be abolished.
The Ministry added that these measures will apply to asylum seekers who are able to work but choose not to, and to those who break the law. Priority for taxpayer-funded support will be given to those who contribute to the economy and local communities.
The Home Office also stated that protection for refugees will now be "temporary, subject to regular review and will be removed" if the refugees' home countries become safe.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told Sky News on Sunday: "Our system is very generous compared to other European countries, where a person becomes settled automatically in the country after five years. We will change that."
She added that under the new rules, an asylum seeker's status will be reviewed every two and a half years as part of a "much longer pathway of 20 years before being able to settle in this country permanently."
The Minister said she will provide more details on these measures on Monday, including an announcement regarding Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Polls indicate that immigration has overtaken the economy as the biggest concern for voters. A total of 109,343 people applied for asylum in the UK up to March 2025, a 17% increase from the previous year and 6% higher than the peak recorded in 2002, which was 103,081 asylum applications.
