The Labor government cuts paymentsBritain tightens asylum laws based on Danish model
The government in London wants to make Britain less attractive to illegal migrants and make deportations easier. Legal obligations to support certain asylum seekers would be abolished in line with the Danish model.
Britain is essentially tightening its asylum policy following Denmark’s example and planning its biggest reforms in decades. Among other things, legal obligations to support certain asylum seekers, for example through housing and weekly payments, will be lifted, the Home Office announced. The Labor government was responding to the growing popularity of Britain’s populist Reform party, which had brought the issue of immigration to the fore.
The measure will apply to asylum seekers who can work but cannot, as well as those who break the law, said Home Minister Shabana Mahmood. The government in London wants to make the country less attractive to illegal migrants and make deportations easier. “This country has a proud tradition of welcoming people in need, but our generosity attracts illegal migrants across the English Channel,” Mahmood said. “The speed and scale of migration is putting communities under enormous pressure.” The Home Secretary plans to announce further details on Monday.
Immigration has replaced the economy as voters’ top concern, according to British polls. In the 12 months to March 2025, 109,343 people applied for asylum in the UK. This number increased 17 percent compared to the previous year. With this tightening, the government is following the Danish model, which is one of the strictest models in Europe. In Denmark, migrants usually only receive temporary residence permits and must submit a new application if the permit expires. If the government deems their country of origin to be safe, they can be sent home. Additionally, a 2016 law allows Danish authorities to confiscate valuables from asylum seekers to cover the costs of their care.
Until now, the UK has granted refugee status for five years to asylum seekers who can prove they are at risk of persecution in their home country. They can then apply for a permanent right to stay. Human rights groups and charities strongly criticized the plan. More than 100 British organizations wrote a letter calling on the Home Secretary to end “politics of scapegoating and false debates that only cause harm.” The British Refugee Council says refugees come to Britain because of family ties or language skills, not because of the asylum system.
