Britain said it will make refugee protection temporary and extend the route to permanent settlement to 20 years, in what the government is billing as the most far-reaching overhaul of asylum policy in modern times.
The Labour government has been steadily tightening its stance on immigration, particularly on irregular small-boat crossings from France, as it tries to counter the surging appeal of the populist Reform UK party, which has pushed migration to the centre of political debate.
Ministers said they would draw on Denmark’s model, one of the most restrictive in Europe at a time when many countries have toughened rules amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment — a trend heavily criticised by human rights advocates.
TEMPORARY STATUS SUBJECT TO REVIEW
Under the reforms, the statutory obligation to provide certain asylum seekers with state support — including accommodation and weekly cash payments — will be removed, the Home Office (interior ministry) said in a statement late on Saturday.
The ministry, headed by Shabana Mahmood, said the changes would apply to those who are deemed able to work but choose not to, as well as to people who break the law. Publicly funded assistance would instead be focused on asylum seekers who are viewed as contributing to the economy and their local communities.
The Home Office also said refugee protection in Britain would “now be temporary, regularly reviewed and revoked” if officials conclude that a person’s country of origin has become safe.
“Our system is particularly generous compared to other countries in Europe, where after five years you’re effectively automatically settled in this country. We will change that,” Mahmood told Sky News on Sunday.
She said that, under the new framework, refugee status would be reassessed every two and a half years, with a “much longer path to permanent settlement in this country of 20 years”.
Mahmood pledged to set out fuller details of the reforms on Monday, including changes related to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which covers the right to respect for private and family life.
The government has said it intends to remain within the ECHR but wants to reshape how Article 8 is interpreted in immigration cases.
Mahmood argued that the provision was being “applied in a way that is designed to frustrate the removal of those that, under our immigration rules, would not have the right to be in this country”.
The tougher stance has prompted a backlash. More than 100 British charities have written to Mahmood urging her to “end the scapegoating of migrants and performative policies that only cause harm”, warning that such measures are stoking racism and violence.
Opinion polls indicate that immigration has overtaken the economy as the top priority for British voters. Over the summer, protests were held outside hotels being used at public expense to house asylum seekers.
A total of 109,343 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to the end of March 2025 — a 17% increase on the previous year and 6% above the previous record of 103,081 set in 2002.
Mahmood said the government would seek to expand “safe and legal” avenues for people in need of protection, arguing that Britain should continue to play a role in sheltering those fleeing conflict and persecution.
UK GOVERNMENT LOOKS TO DENMARK AND OTHER EUROPEAN MODELS
The Home Office said the new system would aim to “match and in some areas exceed” the standards in Denmark and other European states where refugee protection is granted on a temporary basis, welfare is conditional and integration into society is expected.
Under Denmark’s approach, asylum seekers are typically given temporary residence permits for two years and must reapply when those expire. They can be returned to their home country if it is later classed as safe, and the road to citizenship has been extended.
The Home Office said Denmark’s tougher immigration rules had pushed asylum applications to a 40-year low and led to the deportation of 95% of people whose claims were rejected.
Denmark’s reforms — introduced while it remains a signatory to the ECHR — have faced strong criticism. Rights organisations say the policies foster a hostile environment for migrants, weaken international protection standards and leave refugees in prolonged uncertainty.
Britain’s Refugee Council said on X that people escaping war and persecution do not weigh up the intricacies of asylum systems before leaving, and that those who reach the UK often do so because they have relatives, speak some English or have other ties that make it easier to rebuild their lives safely.