UK to overhaul asylum system, extend wait for permanent settlement to 20 years

Britain on Sunday unveiled its most far-reaching asylum reforms in modern times, announcing that refugee status will become temporary and the wait for permanent settlement will be extended from five years to 20. The Labour government said the overhaul is aimed at fixing what it calls a “broken system” and discouraging dangerous illegal crossings, particularly by small boats from France.

Under the new plan, refugee protection will be granted on a temporary basis and reviewed every two-and-a-half years (or 30 months). The Home Office said status would be revoked if a refugee’s home country is deemed safe, with the extended 20-year settlement route applying to those who arrive illegally or overstay visas and later claim asylum. A separate 10-year route will be created for refugees arriving legally under upcoming resettlement schemes.

As part of the changes, the statutory duty to provide housing and weekly allowances will be scrapped for asylum seekers who can work but choose not to, or for those who break the law. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said taxpayer-funded support would instead be prioritised for those contributing to the economy and local communities.

The government will also move to reinterpret Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights — the provision covering the right to a family life — which Mahmood said is currently being used “to frustrate the removal of those who, under our immigration rules, have no right to be in this country.” Britain intends to remain within the ECHR while tightening how the rule is applied.

MAHMOOD SAYS ILLEGAL MIGRATION ‘TEARING COUNTRY APART’

Mahmood, speaking in multiple media interviews ahead of a formal statement to Parliament on Monday, described the reforms as a “moral mission”. Rejecting suggestions that the crackdown may be perceived as racist, she said: “I am the child of immigrants illegal migration is tearing our country apart. It is creating division and polarising communities. I don’t want to stand back and watch that happen.”

She added that the government must send “a very clear signal” to people travelling across several safe countries before reaching northern France: “This is not a journey worth making.”

The tougher approach comes amid surging public concern about immigration. Protests were held over the summer outside hotels housing asylum seekers at public expense. The UK received 109,343 asylum claims in the year ending March 2025 — a 17% annual rise and 6% above the previous 2002 peak of 103,081. In the same period, 172,798 people were granted indefinite leave to remain.

Rights groups have sharply criticised the new direction. More than 100 British charities wrote to Mahmood urging her to “end the scapegoating of migrants and performative policies that only cause harm”, warning that such measures fuel racism and violence. The Refugee Council said refugees do not compare asylum systems when fleeing danger; instead, they come to the UK because of family ties, some knowledge of English and existing community connections.

DENMARK-STYLE MODEL AT THE CORE OF NEW POLICY

The government said it is drawing inspiration from Denmark’s stringent asylum system — among the toughest in Europe — where refugee status is temporary, support is conditional and integration is expected. Under Danish rules, asylum seekers typically receive two-year temporary residence permits and must reapply when these expire. They can be repatriated if their home countries are deemed safe, and Denmark has lengthened its pathway to citizenship.

The Home Office noted that Denmark’s restrictive policies have pushed asylum claims to a 40-year low and resulted in the deportation of 95% of rejected applicants, even as the country remains a signatory to the ECHR. Rights organisations, however, say the model leaves refugees in prolonged limbo and fosters a hostile climate for migrants.

Mahmood said Britain will open more “safe and legal” routes while “bringing order and control back into our system,” insisting the UK must still play its part in helping people fleeing conflict and persecution.

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