The home secretary has announced that refugees who have built lives with homes and families in the UK—including Ukrainians—may still have to return to their home countries if those nations are deemed safe. Shabana Mahmood stated that the asylum system is “out of control and putting huge pressure on communities” as she unveiled plans to end permanent refugee status. Under the new system, refugees will need to reapply to stay in Britain every two and a half years.
On Monday, Mahmood will also announce that those granted asylum could be sent back to their home countries once conditions are considered safe, a policy inspired by Denmark’s controversial approach. Currently, refugees receive five years of protection, after which they can apply for indefinite leave to remain, opening a path to British citizenship.
Mahmood’s reforms will also require individuals who arrive illegally to wait 20 years before applying for permanent settlement, a rule expected to apply only to new arrivals.
She dismissed accusations that the government is using far-right rhetoric to promote these policies, noting, “I am the child of migrants myself. My parents came to this country lawfully in the late 60s and 70s. Immigration is woven into my experience as a Brit and that of thousands of my constituents.”
“This is a moral mission for me because I see illegal migration tearing our country apart. It divides communities, and people witness the strain on their neighborhoods and a broken system where rules are flouted and abused without consequence.”
In a BBC interview on Sunday, Mahmood explained that the reforms would vary based on circumstances. “The new changes will alter the long-standing assumption that sanctuary for refugees quickly leads to permanent settlement and all associated rights,” she said. “If you work and contribute, you can earn earlier settlement. This package aims to promote fairness and contribution.”
She clarified that Ukrainians in the UK are under a separate, temporary scheme and are not typically classified as refugees. “I’m proud of this bespoke program for Ukrainians, and we will honor our commitments under it. Most Ukrainians hope to return home once the conflict ends.”
Mahmood also highlighted that some current rules give asylum seekers greater access to protected housing than British citizens, such as provisions related to anti-social behavior and council housing. She noted that about 10% of people in asylum accommodation have the right to work but no obligation to do so, which will change.
“There’s no requirement to follow rules to keep asylum accommodation, nor does breaking the law result in losing housing. This puts them in a better position than many British citizens in social housing,” she said. “We will now expect compliance with the law and rules. Those who can work should work and support themselves.”
The home secretary plans to amend laws that provide housing and financial support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.If you don’t have an account, we’ll create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete your full registration at any time. For more details on how we handle your data, please refer to our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to secure our website, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
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The government has stated that assistance will now be discretionary, allowing it to refuse help to those who are able to work or have assets.
Mahmood has described the set of proposals as “the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times,” aimed at “restoring control and fairness to the system.”
Approximately 100,000 people in the UK receive asylum support, with the majority housed by the state. About a third are still in hotels, though Labour has committed to ending this practice by 2029.
Around 8,500 individuals in asylum accommodation have the right to work because they entered the country on a visa and later applied for asylum.
Those without visas whose claims have been pending for over a year through no fault of their own may sometimes be allowed to take paid work, but only in fields with a significant shortage of suitable candidates.
The Home Office also announced that AI will be used to assess the ages of people who arrived illegally, stating that inaccuracies in the current system risk children’s safety when individuals are misclassified as adults or claim to be underage.
The facial age-estimation technology has been trained on thousands of images, but it may raise concerns from migrants’ rights groups about potential misclassification of children as adults, putting them at risk.
The Home Office claims this technology is more accurate and cost-effective than other methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the UK Home Secretarys statement that the asylum system is out of control designed with clear questions and direct answers
Basic Understanding
1 What does the Home Secretary mean by the asylum system being out of control
They mean the system is overwhelmed with more people arriving to claim asylum than can be processed efficiently and fairly leading to a large backlog of cases and high costs
2 What is an asylum seeker
An asylum seeker is someone who has left their home country applied for international protection in another country and is waiting for a decision on their claim
3 Whats the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee
An asylum seeker is waiting for their claim to be assessed A refugee is someone whose claim for asylum has been officially granted because it was found they would face persecution in their home country
4 Why is the system causing division
The statement suggests its causing arguments and tension in society between those who believe the UK should offer more protection and those who are concerned about the scale of arrivals and the impact on public services
The Current Situation Problems
5 What are the main problems with the UKs asylum system right now
The main problems are a large backlog of unprocessed applications the high cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels and the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats to claim asylum
6 How many people are waiting for a decision on their asylum claim
The number changes but it is in the tens of thousands You can find the most recent official statistics on the UK Government website
7 Why is the government using hotels to house asylum seekers
Its a temporary measure because the regular accommodation is full The system is so overwhelmed that hotels are used as an emergency solution which is very expensive
8 What is the Rwanda asylum plan Ive heard about
This is a government policy to send some asylum seekers who arrive in the UK through irregular means to Rwanda Their claims would be processed there and if successful they would be granted refugee status to live in Rwanda not the UK This policy is highly controversial and is currently being challenged in the courts
Policy and Solutions
