The British government on Saturday announced far-reaching changes to the United Kingdom's asylum policy in an attempt to reduce irregular immigration and counter the growing popularity of the far-right.

Under the new plans, which are modelled on Denmark's strict asylum system, refugee status for asylum-seekers arriving in the UK will be cut from five years to 30 months, while those granted asylum will have to wait 20 years to apply for permanent residency rather than the current five years.

Those protections will be "regularly reviewed" and refugees will be encouraged to return to their home countries, once they are deemed safe.

The British Interior Ministry, known as the Home Office, called the proposals the "largest overhaul of asylum policy in modern times," while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who is due to lay out the plans in parliament in Monday, promised: "I'll end UK's golden ticket for asylum seekers."

How many asylum seekers are arriving in the UK?

Since coming to power in July 2024, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government has struggled to deal with increasing levels of irregular immigration.

More than 39,000 people have arrived in the UK this year alone, many making the dangerous voyage across the English Channel from northern France on small boats — more than for the whole of 2024 but lower than the record set in 2022 under the previous Conservative government.

Asylum claims in Britain are also at a record high, with some 111,000 applications made in the year to June 2025, according to official figures.

"This country has a proud tradition of welcoming those fleeing danger, but our generosity is drawing illegal migrants across the Channel," said Mahmood said. "The pace and scale of migration is placing immense pressure on communities."

Labour government threatened by far-right Reform UK

The phenomenon of the "small boats" has been exploited by the far-right Reform UK party and its firebrand leader Nigel Farage, who have led Labour by double-digit margins in opinion polls for much of the year – despite only winning five seats at last year's general election.

The government will be hoping that its asylum policy overhaul, which will also remove guarantees of housing and weekly financial allowances for refugees and tighten rules around family reunions, will help curtail that support.

Home Secretary Mahmood said the measures would be make it less attractive for irregular migrants to come to the UK and easier to remove those already in the country.

UK charities say proposals risk fuelling racism

Meanwhile, the head of Britain's Refugee Council, Enver Solomon, warned the government the measures "will not deter" people from trying to reach Britain, and urged a rethink.

"They should ensure that refugees who work hard and contribute to Britain can build secure, settled lives and give back to their communities," he argued.

More than 100 British charities wrote to Mahmood urging her to "end the scapegoating of migrants and performative policies that only cause harm," saying such steps are fuelling racism and violence.

While Starmer and Mahmood are aiming to appease traditional working class Labour voters tempted by Reform, the strict new asylum plans also risk alienating more progressive supporters who could switch their votes to the Liberal Democrats or the surging Green Party.

However, the next UK general election isn't expected for another four years, until which time the Labour government maintains a large majority in parliament.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko