Temporary Halt to New Applications
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed on Monday that new applications for refugee family reunions are being paused while the government drafts new immigration rules, expected to be introduced by spring 2026.
“The system must be controlled and managed based on fair and properly enforced rules, not chaos and exploitation driven by criminal smuggler gangs,” Cooper said in Parliament.
Under the current system, asylum seekers granted indefinite leave to remain can bring their children under 18 and their partners into the UK, provided they can prove a relationship of at least two years.
Housing Pressure and Immigration Reforms
Cooper said the suspension was necessary due to increasing pressure on housing and public services. A significant rise in applications, many filed within weeks of asylum approval, has made the system “unsustainable.”
Planned reforms include:
- Longer waiting periods before family reunion applications
- Stricter eligibility checks and security screening
- Prioritisation of “family groups” under a new UK-France asylum agreement
Criticism from Refugee Charities
The decision has sparked backlash from refugee advocacy groups.
Safe Passage, a charity supporting child refugees, accused the government of “giving in to far-right pressure” and warned that the policy could leave children trapped in danger in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Sudan, and Iran.
Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, said:
“Far from stopping people taking dangerous journeys across the Channel, these changes will push more desperate people into the arms of smugglers.”
Political Pressure and Public Anger
Labour faces increasing pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party and anti-immigration groups, who have been staging protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, including in Epping on Sunday.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government would accelerate plans to close asylum hotels and speed up asylum claim processing.
Cooper also announced a new “one in, one out” pilot scheme with France, where approved asylum seekers will be exchanged under strict security checks.
Additionally, an independent appeals body will be established to tackle the backlog of tens of thousands of asylum cases, with current appeal waiting times averaging 54 weeks.
The suspension of the refugee family reunion scheme marks a major shift in UK immigration policy, balancing public concerns over housing and border control with criticism from refugee charities. New rules are expected by spring 2026, potentially reshaping the UK’s asylum system.
