The government is planning big changes to the treatment given to the people coming to the UK needing help (asylum seekers). The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, says the current system is “out of control” and unfair.

An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their home country because it is not safe for them there (for example due to a war), and asks another country like the UK to protect them.

In 2024, over 100,000 people came to the UK and claimed asylum. The government would like to reduce this number to ease the strain on resources such as funding and housing.

What are the main changes proposed?

1. Temporary permission to stay
   Right now, when someone is allowed to stay as a refugee, they often can apply after 5 years to live permanently. But with the new plan, their protection would only last about 30 months (2 and a half years) before being checked again.
   
   
2. Waiting a lot longer to stay permanently
   Instead of 5 years, people may now have to wait 20 years to apply for “settled status” (which means they can live in the UK more permanently).
   
   
3. Less guaranteed help with money and housing
   The government wants to make its duty to help asylum seekers — with housing or money — optional, not automatic.
   
   
4. Tighter rules for families
   The “right to family life” (called Article 8 in human rights law) would be narrowed, so only parents and their children are mainly considered.
   
   
5. Only one appeal
   When someone’s asylum claim is rejected, they might only get one chance to appeal (argue the decision), instead of more.
   
   
6. Using new technology
   The government plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to guess the ages of people who arrive illegally. But some worry this could make mistakes.
   
   
7. Visa bans for some countries
   The UK may stop allowing visas from Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo if those countries don’t help with returning people the UK wants to send back.
   
   
8. More legal routes to come to the UK
   There would be more safe, legal ways for people to come in properly instead of making dangerous illegal journeys to the UK.

Why Do They Want to Do This?

Mahmood says the current system is too easy to use wrongly, and she wants to make sure it’s fairer and more controlled.

The government would like to stop people taking dangerous journeys like travelling unsafely on crowded small boats from France to the UK.

Mahmood hopes that the new rules will mean less people are likely to try to come to the UK.

The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood

What Do Other People Think?

Some worry it’s too harsh and people who help refugees are worried the changes will make life very difficult for asylum seekers, especially if money and housing help can be removed.

Because of the way family reunions might change, there are fears that kids could be separated from their parents.

Some legal experts say taking away repeated appeals could be unfair, and that AI age checks might make mistakes.

What’s Next?

These are just proposals at the moment — they haven’t become law yet. The government is asking for people’s thoughts (a “consultation”) and working on turning these ideas into real rules.