The Home Office has disclosed that more than half of asylum seekers whose claims are rejected under tightened human rights laws will continue to reside in the United Kingdom. This revelation comes as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood introduces a new immigration and asylum bill to Parliament, which includes a controversial £10,000 fee for asylum seekers seeking settled status.
The bill, presented on Tuesday, aims to impose stricter limits on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which covers the right to private and family life. According to the Home Office's impact assessment, these changes are expected to result in an additional 11,700 people having their claims rejected. However, the same assessment projects that 55% of those refused under the Article 8 reforms will remain in the UK.
Key Provisions of the New Bill
The immigration and asylum bill proposes several significant changes. It includes a £10,000 charge for asylum seekers before they are granted settled status, a new appeals system that will operate without judges, and additional restrictions on trafficking claims. The legislation also tightens the definition of a "core family unit" under Article 8, limiting it to spouses, parents, and children. Individuals who establish families while living illegally in the UK will no longer be able to use family ties to avoid deportation.
Additionally, the bill seeks to amend the Modern Slavery Act to prevent abuse. Modern slavery claims must be lodged within a specified timeframe after arrival, and each individual will be limited to a single claim.
Impact Assessment and Statistics
The Home Office's impact assessment estimates that the Article 8 reforms will lead to 11,700 additional refusals. Internal analysis indicates that 55% of refused applicants will remain in the UK. Last year, 34,000 asylum seekers were granted the right to stay based on Article 8, and the lifetime cost of each migrant invoking ECHR rights is estimated at £141,000 after tax.
Imran Hussain, director of external affairs at the Refugee Council, criticized the bill, stating it could cause "chaos in the Home Office and for the next prime minister for years to come." He added, "It would create a whole new architecture of bureaucracy for the Home Office by building a new appeals system and imposing an unfair extra tax on refugees, while ignoring the poor quality of initial decisions that is actually driving significant delays and costs."
Political and Social Reactions
Ministers hope the bill will establish a "firm but fair" asylum system and reduce pull factors driving illegal migration. However, some Labour MPs are expected to oppose the strictest measures. The Home Office also plans to use more former military barracks to house thousands of asylum seekers after closing 20 hotels in England.
A Home Office source emphasized that Article 8 is a human rights route based on family or private life, affecting both asylum seekers and those seeking to remain on family ties.
