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UK Plans Sweeping Asylum Overhaul as Labour Takes Proposals to Parliament

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is taking the package to Parliament this week following broadcast interviews that previewed the measures.

Overview

  • The plan would make housing and financial support for asylum-seekers discretionary, with potential denial for those deemed able to work, holding assets, offending, or working illegally.
  • Recognized refugee status would shift from a standard five-year grant to 30-month periods subject to review, with a proposed 20-year route to permanent residency.
  • Officials say cases could be reassessed for return if countries of origin are later designated safe, tightening long-term settlement prospects.
  • Mahmood frames the overhaul as deterrence to Channel crossings and a 'moral mission,' with media citing roughly 39,000 arrivals so far in 2025.
  • NGOs and Labour’s left denounce the proposals, right-leaning opponents call them insufficient, and multiple outlets note Denmark as an inspiration for the approach.