Restoring Order and Control – An Overview of the UK’s New Asylum and Returns Policy
In November 2025, the UK Government published a policy statement titled “Restoring Order and Control”, which lays out major reforms to its asylum and returns system.
The Government argues that the existing asylum framework is under severe pressure and that current rules were not designed for modern migration patterns, where people may pass through multiple safe countries before reaching the UK. It has been stated that the reform is intended to protect public confidence in the asylum system while tackling the exploitation of migrants by criminal smuggling networks. It is described as the biggest set of asylum changes in recent years, aiming to be fair while also strengthening border control.
Key Reforms Proposed:
Reducing Arrivals
- The Government is making legal routes stricter and warning that travelling to the UK illegally or unsafely will no longer succeed.
- New “capped” safe and legal routes for refugees will be maintained, including a greater role for community sponsorship, allowing local communities to support refugee resettlement.
Core Protection and Temporary Status
- A new “core protection” offer for refugees will be introduced. Refugees will receive 30 months’ leave, rather than the initial five-year settlement.
- After that period, protection will only be renewed if still required. If protection is no longer needed, individuals may become subject to removal.
- The path to settlement is dramatically lengthened. Refugees on “core protection” must now wait 20 years, rather than the previous five-year route.
Support and Accommodation
- The legal obligation for the government to support destitute asylum seekers is to be revoked and will be replaced with a discretionary power. Asylum support will become discretionary, based on factors such as assets, ability to work, and compliance with system rules.
- Support will not be given to people who can work, have made themselves deliberately destitute, or do not follow the rules, such as ignoring removal directions or working illegally. Assistance will depend on obeying UK law, and sanctions will apply for criminal activity, refusal to move, or disruptive behaviour. Refugees with some income or assets may have to help pay for their support. The Government also plans to end the use of asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament and move people to larger sites, including military locations.
Illegal Working
- Enforcement measures will be strengthened, with increased raids and higher penalties for employers who hire workers illegally. Right-to-work checks will be extended to cover sectors with low pay and high exploitation risk (like delivery, hospitality, and construction). In addition, a single digital ID will be required for all right-to-work verifications, and the Government will collaborate with online platforms and delivery companies to enhance ID verification processes and facilitate the secure sharing of relevant data.
Increasing Removals
- A central aim of the policy is to increase the rate of enforced returns for failed asylum seekers, ensuring that non-compliance carries real consequences. Removals will resume to a wider range of countries, including places such as Syria where conditions are considered to have changed, and families who refuse voluntary return after being refused asylum may face enforcement action.
- The Government is consulting on ending indefinite support for families who do not cooperate with the returns process, using existing powers under the Immigration Act 2016. It also continues to explore the use of “return hubs,” which are safe third countries to which individuals may be removed when direct return to their country of origin is not possible. Additionally, countries that refuse to accept the return of their own nationals may face visa restrictions or other diplomatic measures.
Appeals
- The reforms include the creation of a new independent appeals body with professionally trained adjudicators and introducing faster appeal processes, including a Single Appeal route to reduce delays.
- Low-merit claims will be refused without a right of appeal, and new rules will make clear that private or family life rights gained after losing an appeal will not normally prevent removal.
- The Government will continue to offer financial help for voluntary return, and further submissions will only be allowed on protection grounds and handled through a more streamlined process.
- Early legal advice will also be a key part of the system to prevent delays and reduce late claims
Reinterpreting Human Rights (ECHR) and Modern Slavery Reform
- The statement indicates that the Government intends to reconsider how the UK applies key human rights protections, particularly Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It argues that current interpretations of “inhuman or degrading treatment” are too broad and can prevent the removal of individuals who do not genuinely require protection.
- The Government also notes that the modern slavery system is sometimes misused to delay removal and plans new legislation to clarify its obligations so that genuine victims receive support while preventing abuse. Decision-makers will be instructed to assess late claims of exploitation more critically, especially when they appear timed to obstruct enforcement action.
Conclusion
The Government’s new asylum and returns policy represents a major shift toward tighter control, faster decision-making, and stronger enforcement. While it aims to restore confidence in the system and reduce abuse, the reforms will have significant effects on those seeking protection and, on the UK’s, human rights obligations. How these measures are implemented in practice will determine whether the policy achieves a fair balance between managing migration and safeguarding vulnerable individuals.
By Hanna Barzinji