British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said refugees will no longer have an automatic right to settle in the United Kingdom, as his government prepares sweeping changes to asylum and migration policy.
Starmer made the comments ahead of the European Political Community summit, where he is expected to push for coordinated action on illegal migration across Europe.
“There will be no golden ticket to settling in the UK; people will have to earn it,” Starmer said.
Under the proposed reforms, those granted asylum will no longer automatically qualify for family reunion or permanent settlement. Instead, long-term residence in the UK will depend on individuals contributing to society, such as through employment, community involvement, and tax contributions.
“I believe that if you want to come to the UK, you should contribute to our society. That is the tolerant and fair approach to migration that our communities are built on, but the current system is not fit for purpose,” Starmer stated.
“That is why we’re making fundamental changes to what those granted asylum are afforded in the UK. Settlement must be earned by contributing to our country, not by paying a people smuggler to cross the Channel in a boat.”
Applications under the existing refugee family reunion pathway have been paused since September, and more restrictive criteria will soon be introduced. While the government says it will continue to offer core protection for those fleeing persecution, refugees will now face a longer route to settlement, replacing the current five-year pathway.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce the full details of the policy later this autumn. The new criteria will require refugees to be employed, not dependent on state benefits, have a clean criminal record, and demonstrate a high level of English proficiency. Additional requirements will include reaching a specific level of National Insurance contributions and demonstrating involvement in local communities.
Speaking at the Labour Party Conference earlier this week, Mahmood said tougher conditions would apply for securing indefinite leave to remain.
Starmer also announced plans for a new partnership with Denmark aimed at addressing the root causes of migration in the Western Balkans. The initiative, backed by up to £3 million, will seek to encourage people to remain in the region by creating local employment opportunities.
However, the proposed reforms have drawn strong criticism from refugee advocacy groups. The Refugee Council warned that removing the right to family reunification would drive more people to risk dangerous journeys.
“These unworkable policies have been promised before, and we know that they do not have any impact on the number of small boats,” said Jon Featonby, chief policy analyst at the Refugee Council.
“The previous government tried and failed to put people off taking risky journeys by reducing the rights of refugees once they were in the UK, restricting both family reunion and settlement. This approach didn’t work then, and there is no evidence to suggest it will work now. It will, however, succeed in damaging integration, making refugees feel unsafe and forcing children to grow up without their parents.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip also criticised the proposals, calling them a “gimmick” and arguing they would have little practical effect on illegal migration.
“Tweaking family rules is another Starmer gimmick that will make no difference whatsoever, just like his smash the gangs’ gimmick and his 11,000 in, one out gimmick,” Philip said. He also urged Labour to back the Conservative proposal to repeal the Human Rights Act for immigration cases.
So far in 2025, more than 34,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats — a record for this point in the year since official data collection began in 2018.
