Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has launched the most significant overhaul of Britain's asylum system in four decades, announcing controversial plans that could see families with children removed from the UK and have their financial support withdrawn.
Major Policy Shifts Announced
In a policy document published on Monday, the government revealed it would take a "far more hard-headed approach" to removing failed asylum seekers, including families who have a safe home country to return to. Mahmood claimed previous administrations had failed to show the "necessary toughness" to enforce removals of families whose claims had been refused.
The document highlighted that "many families of failed asylum seekers continue to live in this country, receiving free accommodation and financial support, for years on end." This situation, the government argues, necessitates stronger enforcement measures.
Consultation on Family Support Removal
Among the most contentious proposals is a consultation on measures that would allow the government to remove financial support for families with children under 18 if they have been refused asylum. The government plans to consult on commencing measures from the 2016 Immigration Act that would enable this policy change.
The approach outlined involves initially offering financial support to enable families to return to their home country voluntarily. Should families refuse this support, the government will escalate to enforced removal.
Financial Incentives and Political Fallout
The government also plans to trial increased incentive payments of thousands of pounds to encourage asylum seekers to leave the UK if their claims are rejected. Currently, claimants receive up to £3,000 under the voluntary returns scheme.
These policy moves are expected to further enrage refugee organisations and trigger rebellion among Labour MPs who have been threatening to oppose Keir Starmer's government on immigration matters. The document states that financial packages will continue to be available at any stage in the process, with enforced removal pursued only when individuals refuse to engage with voluntary return options.
The government describes this approach as "the most cost-effective approach for UK taxpayers" while maintaining that they will remove people they have not removed before, including families with safe home countries to return to.
