On 17 November 2025, the UK government published a comprehensive policy document entitled “Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy”, announcing its intention to radically transform the country’s asylum system. This document aims to comprehensively reshape asylum processes, which have been the subject of intense debate in recent years, including assessment, protection, appeals, accommodation, family policies and removal procedures.
This statement does not have the force of law; however, it outlines the framework of the reform package that the government plans to present to Parliament in the coming period and signals a radical change of direction in the asylum system.
Refugee Status: Temporary Status Instead of Permanent Protection
One of the most notable elements of the document is that refugee status will no longer be conceived as permanent protection, but as a temporary status that will be regularly reviewed.
According to the planned changes:
- The protection period will be reduced from 5 years to 30 months,
- At the end of this period, applicants will not automatically receive an extension,
- Each extension request will be reviewed by reassessing the conditions in the person’s country and their individual risk.
This model is in line with the policy objective that the system should be based on temporary protection rather than permanent settlement.
The Settlement Route is being redefined
Under the current system, refugees could apply for ILR after 5 years. The new policy aims to extend this route to 20 years.
- Work route
or - Study route
transitions to a different immigration category.
This approach aims to prevent refugee status from directly opening the door to permanent settlement.
Rules for Family Members Are Changing
The new policy also aims to change the rules regarding the arrival of family members of individuals with protection status in the UK. The current family reunion model is to be abolished and replaced with a much more limited, controlled system contingent on transitioning to the Work/Study route.
This change aims to end the automatic family reunification option in the current system.
Asylum Support and Accommodation System to be Re-engineered
State support will no longer be a mandatory mechanism.
Support will be provided
- according to economic,
- health
- on a conditional and limited basis
and accommodation needs.
The biggest change on the accommodation side is the complete phasing out of hotels. The government plans to move to a large-scale, centralised asylum accommodation sites model.
Appeal System Being Overhauled
Appeal processes have been one of the slowest elements of the system for years. The new policy seeks to consolidate the entire appeal mechanism into a single, faster structure.
The objectives of this revision are:
- to speed up the process,
- to reduce multiple application routes,
- to prevent unnecessary re-examinations.
New Approach to the Removal (Deportation) System
The document envisages regulations that will enable the faster deportation of rejected applicants—including families—with fewer legal obstacles.
Specifically:
- Narrowing the scope of ‘family/private life’ claims made under Article 8,
- Resuming returns to certain countries,
- Accelerated review processes
are among the steps highlighted.
Safe and Legal Routes: Quota and Sponsorship System
The government plans to establish a new model for admitting a certain number of people into the country through safe and legal routes. This model will be based on:
- annual quotas,
- community sponsorship,
- and international capacity.
Understanding What This Policy Is About Is Important: Not Yet in Force
One aspect of this document that should be emphasised is that it is not yet a regulation in force.
The statements are entirely forward-looking (‘the government will…’) and, in order to be implemented, require:
- new legislation,
- secondary legislation linked to it,
- clear transitional provisions
Furthermore, it has not yet been clarified how existing or pending asylum applications will be affected.
Conclusion: A New Era in the UK Asylum System
The published policy signals a major paradigm shift in the UK’s asylum system. Steps such as making the protection system temporary, making the settlement route more difficult, limiting family reunification, re-establishing the appeal mechanism, and speeding up deportation processes aim to fundamentally change the system’s overall approach.
However, when and how these reforms will be implemented will become clear with the laws that the government will introduce in the coming period.