UK: Britain has announced its biggest change to asylum rules in modern times, saying refugee status will no longer lead to quick settlement. Instead, it will be temporary, reviewed regularly, and could take up to 20 years before someone can settle permanently.
The Labour government says the goal is to tighten the asylum system and respond to growing public concern about immigration. The move also comes as Labour faces pressure from Reform UK, whose tough stance on migration has influenced the national debate.
The new rules are inspired by Denmark, which has some of the strictest asylum policies in Europe and requires refugees to keep reapplying for protection.
Under the plan, the Home Office will drop its duty to give housing and weekly allowances to some asylum seekers. Support will be removed from people who can work but choose not to, and from those who commit crimes. The government says help should go to those who contribute to the economy and local communities.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said refugee protections will now be temporary and reviewed every two and a half years. She said Britain’s current system, which allows settlement after five years, is far more generous than many European countries. The new 20-year path is meant to make the process stricter.
Refugee status should not be a fast track to settlement.
Permanent UK residency for refugees will now take 20 years, not five – ending shorter paths to remain here.
Britain will not remove those in genuine need, but commitment to this nation must be shown. pic.twitter.com/NNsHdYkllN
— Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) November 16, 2025
Mahmood also said more changes will be announced on Monday, including how the government plans to reinterpret Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which covers the right to family life. Ministers say Article 8 has often been used to block the removal of people who do not qualify to stay in the UK.
Asylum claims have risen to 109,343 in the year to March 2025, up 17 percent from the previous year and slightly above the country’s record from 2002. Mahmood said that despite the tougher rules, Britain still wants to open more safe and legal routes for people escaping war or persecution.
The Home Office said the reforms are designed to match or even exceed Denmark’s model, where temporary permits, strict reviews, and fast repatriation have sharply reduced asylum numbers. Denmark’s policies, however, have been widely criticised by rights groups for leaving refugees in long-term uncertainty.
Britain’s Refugee Council said people fleeing danger do not study asylum systems before choosing where to go. They often come to the UK because they have family here, know some English, or have connections that help them start again.
The government says the changes are meant to rebuild trust in the immigration system, but the debate over the plan is expected to grow once full details are released.
