Overview
- Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said she will abolish what she called Britain’s “golden pass” by replacing five-year protection with a 30-month, regularly reviewed refugee status.
- The Home Office plans to end the statutory duty to provide housing and weekly payments for certain applicants, including those able to work who do not and those who break the law.
- Refugees granted protection would face a wait of up to 20 years before being eligible to apply for permanent residence.
- The measures are intended for new arrivals only, aiming to deter irregular crossings and enable faster returns to countries deemed safe.
- More than 100 charities criticized the proposals as harmful, while the government cites record asylum applications and pressure from Reform UK as drivers for the overhaul.