The United Kingdom government has set out sweeping reforms to its asylum system aimed at curbing illegal migration and recalibrating settlement rules for refugees and asylum seekers.

The plan, announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, extends the minimum period before permanent settlement from five to twenty years for certain arrivals, introduces temporary refugee status reviewed every two and a half years, and empowers the state to suspend automatic housing and financial support for asylum applicants.

Under the reforms, people granted asylum will no longer obtain immediate indefinite leave to remain.

Instead, protection will be temporary and subject to ongoing review, with removal triggered once their home country is deemed safe.

Nationals of certain countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola and Namibia, now face visa restrictions unless their governments co-operate on migrant returns.

The government said it will also be able to seize valuables from asylum seekers who have assets and reduce state support for those capable of work.

Ms Mahmood described the changes as “the most significant package to tackle illegal migration in modern times,” declaring a “moral duty” to fix what she called a “broken system” and to restore unity in a divided country.

The reforms were modelled in part on the Danish system, where protection is time-limited and return to the country of origin is required when it becomes safe.

The policy shift has prompted immediate political ramifications.

While the government argues it aligns with broader international trends, it has sparked dissent within the ruling Labour Party, where some MPs contend the changes undermine party values and could hollow out the rights of those fleeing persecution.

Refugee-rights organisations warned the plan risks leaving people in limbo, while the government said the measures will ensure fairness to both newcomers and citizens.

As parliament moves to enact detailed legislation, the reforms are expected to feature in next year’s King’s Speech and follow through with broad regulatory and legal changes.

The government is also working to shape new safe-and-legal channels for refugees who satisfy stricter work, study or contribution requirements.

With small-boat crossings and asylum claims at record levels, the government says the overhaul marks a new era in UK immigration policy geared to regain public confidence and control of borders.