The government has introduced several wide-ranging reforms affecting people seeking asylum and refugees. They follow commitments made in the Restoring Order and Control policy statement in late 2025, which signalled an intention to further restrict access to support and reshape the protection and settlement system.
The main developments include:
- removal of the statutory duty to provide asylum support to destitute asylum seekers
- new powers to withdraw asylum support where a person is found to be or is suspected of illegal working
- extension of the refugee move-on period from 28 to 42 days
- reduction of refugee protection grants from five years to 30 months
The government has also launched a consultation on ending support for appeal rights exhausted asylum-seeking families and enacting provisions under the Immigration Act 2016 that would reform asylum support and local authority duties for this group. See our separate news item on this for further detail.
Below we explain these developments and assess the potential implications for destitution and homelessness.
Changes to asylum support
(1) Removal of the duty to support destitute asylum seekers
Under the current framework, the Home Office has a statutory duty to provide section 95 support to asylum seekers who are destitute and eligible for support.
The government has published an amendment which removes this duty and replaces it with a discretionary power. From 2 June 2026, the Home Office will no longer be legally obliged to provide support, and decisions on section 95 and section 98 (interim) support will be made at the Home Office’s discretion.
The Home Office has indicated that support could be refused in situations where a person:
- has arrived on a work or study visa
- has been granted permission to work
- has been assessed as “deliberately making themselves destitute”
Guidance on how this applies in practice is to be outlined in a new policy framework on asylum support later this year.
(2) Ability to withdraw support when illegal working is suspected
The government has published amendments enabling the Home Office to withdraw asylum support where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a person has been illegally working.
The Conditions of Support guidance for Home Office caseworkers has been updated to reflect this change.
(3) Operational change to the refugee move-on period
The government has extended the period before asylum support ends following a positive decision (the 'move-on' period).
From 6 March 2026, support will end 42 days after leave to remain is granted, instead of the statutory 28-day period.
The Home Office’s Ceasing Section 95 Support instruction has been updated, confirming that 42 days’ notice will be issued. Section 4 guidance has not yet been updated, but we understand that the extended notice period will be given to both section 95 and section 4 support recipients.
Changes to refugee protection
A Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules reduces standard grants of refugee leave from five years to 30 months. People who claim asylum or lodge further submissions on or after 2 March 2026 will, if granted refugee status, receive 30 months’ leave, which will need to be extended through further applications.
Each renewal will include a safe return review, with the Home Office assessing whether protection is still required or whether the individual can now safely return their country of origin. This introduces ongoing uncertainty for refugees and increases administrative and financial burdens associated with repeated renewal applications.
This change does not apply to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children – they will still receive five-year grants of refugee status.
Restrictions on permission to work for asylum seekers
As part of the changes to the Immigration Rules, the government has further restricted the types of jobs available to people seeking asylum who are granted permission to work.
Asylum seekers granted permission to work can now only undertake roles at RQF Level 6 (graduate level) and above, which is equivalent to jobs normally eligible under the Skilled Worker route.
Potential impacts on destitution and homelessness
Uncertainty arising from discretionary support decisions
Removing the statutory duty to provide asylum support represents a major shift away from a rights-based entitlement and raises uncertainty about how the Home Office will determine eligibility in practice. Although decisions must remain compatible with human rights law and established case law regarding destitution, the removal of the duty increases the risk that some asylum seekers could be refused support even when destitute. Councils may therefore face increased requests for assistance under social care legislation. While the absence of a full impact assessment makes the scale of these risks unclear.
Greater risk of destitution for people with permission to work
People granted permission to work may be at greater risk of destitution if support is withdrawn on the basis that they are not working. Individuals facing barriers such as limited job availability, low skills, or childcare responsibilities may be especially affected. If support is withdrawn, this could lead to higher demand for local authority support where statutory duties apply.
The move-on period may still result in homelessness
Although extension of the move-on period is intended to ease pressures on newly granted refugees, it remains an operational policy which could be changed at any time. Delays in issuing status documentation or notice of support terminations can still leave newly recognised refugees unable to access Universal Credit or housing within the grace period, increasing risk of homelessness. The absence of any statutory change also creates ambiguity about whether challenges against discontinuation notices and reinstatement decisions will be assessed on a 28 or 42day basis.
Shorter grants of refugee status creates additional risks
Shorter protection grants mean refugees will have to submit more frequent extension applications. Any failure to renew leave on time can result in loss of status, increasing the risk of homelessness and reliance on local authority support. The government is considering lengthening settlement pathways and introducing a new work and study protection route. Until further changes are confirmed, refugees will continue to face uncertainty about their long-term options to remain and settle in the UK.