The new proposal includes reduced protections for refugees and an end to automatic benefits for asylum seekers, according to Shabana Mahmood

London plans to sharply scale back protections for asylum seekers and make them wait two decades to apply to stay for good as part of a major policy overhaul, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told The Sunday Times. She said the UK is struggling to manage a steady influx of new arrivals.

Under the existing rules introduced in 2005, refugees in Britain receive five years of status before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain, or permanent residence, and eventually citizenship. Mahmood wants to cut that initial period in half and introduce regular reviews to assess whether individuals remain eligible for asylum. Those whose home countries are deemed safe would be instructed to return.

For refugees who arrive illegally, the waiting period to apply for indefinite leave would be quadrupled to 20 years. "Illegal migration is tearing our country apart," Mahmood said. "If we don`t sort this out, I think our country becomes much more divided."

Asylum claims in Britain have reached a record high, with about 111,000 applications filed in the year to June 2025, according to government data. The number of claimants has nearly doubled since 2021, a Home Office report found.

Those who arrive legally would face a 10-year wait. The policy would allow skilled refugees to shorten the waiting time by entering "specific" work or study routes. "It will be essentially a system whereby the more you contribute, you can bring forward that period," Mahmood said.

The overhaul would also end the statutory duty to provide support for asylum seekers. Refugees granted work permits would lose access to housing and weekly allowances, and support would be withdrawn for anyone who breaks the law.

Mahmood described the current system as "broken" and "unfair." She has previously warned that the UK is losing control of its borders, saying last month that failing to restore order would erode trust in the state.

The move comes as support rises for the anti-immigration and EU-skeptical Reform Party, led by MP Nigel Farage. A September poll showed the party is backed by 35% of Britons, with Labour at 20% and the Conservatives at 17%.