Home Secretary (): This country will always
provide sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution. But we
must also ensure our asylum system is not creating pull factors
that draw people on dangerous journeys across the world, fuelling
and funding the human traffickers.
Genuine refugees will find safety in Britain, but we must also
reduce the incentives that draw people here at such scale,
including those without a legitimate need for protection. So,
once a refugee's home is safe and they are able to return, they
will be expected to do so.
This is a firm but fair approach, restoring order and control of
Britain's borders, while protecting those fleeing war and
repression.
Last November, as part of the most sweeping reforms to tackle
illegal migration since the Second World War, this government
announced that refugee protection would become temporary. At the
same time, refugees who wish to stay in Britain and have skills
will be able to apply for new work and study visas, helping them
integrate with and contribute to society.
Britain will also open new, safe and legal routes, with community
sponsorship becoming the new norm. The entire approach is
designed to shift the asylum system in Britain away from
dangerous, illegal crossings, and high levels of applications
from those without legitimate asylum claims.
Under these changes, adults and accompanied children claiming
asylum from today will receive a 30-month period of protection,
if granted. At a 30-month review, refugees with a continuing need
of sanctuary will have their protection renewed, while those
whose countries are now deemed safe will be expected to return
home.
Under the previous system, refugees were granted 5 years of
protection and allowed to bring their families – followed by
near-automatic, fee-free permanent settlement with continued
access to benefits and housing. This was amongst the most
generous offers to refugees in any country in Western Europe.
This has become a pull-factor that has seen asylum claims in
Britain rise steeply, including tens of thousands of illegitimate
claims each year, as they fall across the rest of the continent.
Refugees under the reformed system will need to renew their
permission to stay or apply for a legal visa route. Family
reunion remains paused while new rules are designed that bring
financial and integration requirements in line with those
expected of British citizens.
The reset in Britain's asylum offer, inspired by Denmark's
success, will encourage those wishing to build a life in the UK
to do so via legal routes and reduce the pull factors driving
illegal migration. The first step towards a new, ‘core
protection' system will be introduced through a change to the
Immigration Rules later this week.
While Denmark was cutting asylum claims to a 40-year low, the UK
saw a 13% increase in the year to September 2025. Across the EU,
applications fell by 22% over the same period.
Since 2015, Denmark has made refugee status temporary – subject
to review every 2 years – introduced restrictions on family
reunion and increased the wait for permanent settlement to 8
years, subject to strict integration and employment requirements.
Under reforms announced last autumn, refugees in the UK will have
to wait 20 years for settlement, unless they switch to a legal
visa route, as part of the “core protection” model.
New routes will be created as an alternative to “core protection”
for those who can contribute through work or study, encouraging
use of the legal migration system and contributing to better
social cohesion. Further details of these will be set out in
future Immigration Rules changes.
Unaccompanied children will continue to receive 5 years' leave,
while the Government considers the appropriate long-term policy
for this group. Further details will be set out in due course.
Robust age assessment measures are already in place to root out
false claims by migrants claiming to be under 18. AI technology
currently being tested will strengthen this further.
There will be transitional provisions for people who submitted an
asylum claim before today, so that existing rules continue to
apply.
