The British government will reduce the protection given to refugees, who are “forced to return to their country of origin as soon as it is deemed safe,” the Home Office announced in a statement on Saturday.
The measures are expected to be part of sweeping reforms by the Labor government aimed at reducing the number of migrants arriving in Britain, and respond to criticism that has pushed Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration British Reform party to the top of opinion polls for months.
All measures are to be detailed on Monday before Parliament by Home Minister Shabana Mahmood.
“A golden ticket has increased asylum requests in the UK, encouraging people to cross Europe, through safe countries, to board emergency boats,” the minister was quoted as saying in a press release on Saturday. “I will end this golden ticket. »
Length of stay reduced from five years to 30 months
“Thanks to much better conditions in the UK,” refugees can now apply to settle permanently, free of charge, after five years in the UK, “without making a contribution” to the country, the ministry said.
The new system will reduce their length of stay from five years to 30 months, and will double the time it takes to apply to become a permanent resident, from five to 20 years, he said. Refugees who want to become permanent residents sooner “will have to work or study,” he added.
Automatic access to social assistance will also be abolished for asylum seekers.
The government is under pressure
Coming to power in the summer of 2024, Keir Starmer’s government has come under almost daily pressure to curb migrant arrivals and limit their rights.
This summer, many demonstrations took place in front of hotels housing asylum seekers and a demonstration organized by far-right groups in London in mid-September was attended by up to 150,000 people according to police.
In this context, Keir Starmer’s government has promised to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in makeshift boats. No success so far.
Since January 1, 39,292 people have landed on British shores after this dangerous crossing, a number that exceeds the figure for 2024 (36,816).
Additionally, asylum applications increased by 18% in 2024 in the UK, while asylum applications fell by 13% across the European Union in the same period, according to government figures. More than 400,000 requests have been recorded since 2021, compared with 150,000 in the 2011-2015 period, according to official figures. For the government, the aim is clear: to make Britain less attractive to migrants.
