London is preparing a sweeping rollback of refugee protections, the Labour government confirmed, following reports first revealed by the BBC. “I will end the golden ticket for asylum seekers”, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in an official statement, outlining a package of measures that will be presented to Parliament on Monday.
Under the proposed reforms, the duration of refugee status will be cut from five years to 30 months, subject to regular review. Individuals granted protection will also have to wait 20 years, instead of the current five, before becoming eligible to apply for permanent residency. Once a person’s country of origin is deemed safe, they will be required to return.
Mahmood described the proposals as “the most significant overhaul of asylum policy in modern times”.
The shift comes as Downing Street faces mounting pressure over irregular migration. More than 39,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats since the start of the year—already surpassing the total for 2024, though still below the 2022 record. At the same time, the UK has registered a surge in asylum demand, with around 111,000 applications submitted in the 12 months to June 2025, according to official data.
The Home Office said the policy design draws inspiration from Denmark’s highly restrictive asylum model, a system that has increasingly appealed to governments seeking to curb arrivals.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, elected last summer, has been under sustained political pressure to reduce Channel crossings—an issue that also troubled previous Conservative administrations. The rise in irregular arrivals has bolstered support for Nigel Farage’s nationalist party, which has led Labour by double digits in polling for much of the year.
The full legislative package will be detailed in Parliament, marking a pivotal moment in the UK’s approach to refugee protection and long-term migration policy.