The UK government will scrap the right of refugees to apply for permanent residency after five years, marking a significant shift in immigration policy under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Refugees will also lose the automatic right to family reunification, a change aimed at deterring irregular migration and responding to mounting political pressure.
Speaking ahead of a European Political Community meeting in Copenhagen, Starmer stressed that the UK would maintain its role in protecting genuine refugees while curbing incentives for small boat crossings. “I believe that if you want to come to the UK, you should contribute to our society,” he said. “Settlement must be earned by contributing to our country, not by paying a people smuggler to cross the Channel in a boat.”
Under the new rules, the “core protection” granted to asylum seekers will no longer include family reunification, a right enshrined in British asylum policy since 2000. Starmer added, “The UK will continue to play its role in welcoming genuine refugees fleeing persecution. But we must also address the pull factors driving dangerous and illegal small boats crossings.”
The announcement comes as immigration dominates the political agenda, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK gaining momentum in opinion polls. Reform has pledged to exit the European Convention on Human Rights and dismantle indefinite leave to remain, the main pathway for permanent settlement. Labour’s tougher stance seeks to draw a clear dividing line with Reform, which has surged ahead of Labour in recent surveys.
