Latest aslyum reforms - our response

In early 2026 the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced significant reforms to the asylum system. Read our responses.

In response to the removal of the Home Secretary's duty to provide accommodation and financial support to all asylum seekers:

“The men, women and children who come to the UK seeking sanctuary from torture and war just want what any of us would – safety, stability and the chance to rebuild their lives. Without the very basic support that many of them receive from the Government they would be homeless and destitute, at risk of violence and exploitation on the margins of our society. This policy change will increase the risk that survivors of torture – many of whom cannot work due to disability or trauma – will have their essential support stripped away.  

“Every day, we support survivors who have escaped torture in countries like Iran and Sudan to heal from the unimaginable harm they have endured. Vital clinical work is often disrupted by the need to deal with urgent housing and welfare problems caused by the Home Office’s failure to deliver a fair and efficient support system. Too many survivors are already threatened with refusal or withdrawal of support due to some case working or data error. This harsh and unnecessary policy on support will just raise the stakes, making vulnerable people destitute and leaving local authorities and communities to pick up the pieces. 

“The Government talks about the importance of community bonds, cohesion and integration but using hateful language to paint a false picture of refugees only fans the flames of division. If the Government is serious about building a just and effective asylum system, it must catch up with public opinion and recognise the dignity and humanity of those in its care. It’s time for us to treat refugees with compassion and fairness.” 

In response to temporary protection and shifting away from five-year permanent settlements:

“This policy change will affect men, women and children who have been recognised by our Government as needing protection from torture and war. They have fled countries like Iran and Sudan for standing up for the same freedoms we cherish in Britain. And now they want nothing more than to rebuild their lives, find a job and raise their children. For the survivors of torture that we support every day, a grant of refugee status should be a moment of celebration – a gateway to a new life and the chance to put the horrors they have endured behind them. Now, they will have to relieve that trauma every 30 months and live through the constant terror that they will be sent back into the hands of their torturers.  
 
“These reforms will divide communities, leaving refugees marginalised as they struggle to find homes, jobs and access education. But in denying refugees the safety and stability they need to become part of our communities, this Government has shown that it is grossly out of sync with public opinion. Caring people up and down the country have welcomed refugees into their lives, as friends, neighbours and fellow parents. We can – and must – reject this cynical politics of scapegoating and demand that our asylum system reflects the values of compassion and fairness that unite us all.”