(MENAFN) The UK government on Monday introduced a wide-ranging set of asylum reforms aimed at tightening refugee status eligibility and expanding the use of enforced family removals.

In a newly released 32-page dossier, Prime Minister Keir Starmer cited rising global instability and record migration levels as placing the system under “severe strain,” prompting what he described as a need for a “stronger deterrent” approach to border control.

In the document’s foreword, Starmer said the “world has changed,” highlighting escalating conflicts and a sharp increase in migration. “Our asylum system was not designed to cope with this,” he noted, pointing out that current rules do not account for people traveling through multiple safe countries before attempting to cross the English Channel by boat. He argued that the UK’s existing regime is “a significant pull factor” and “more permissive than the European mainstream,” and that stronger deterrents and robustly enforced rules are now required.

Starmer emphasized that the UK remains a “decent, compassionate, tolerant country,” but said public confidence must be restored to ensure that those “genuinely fleeing danger and persecution” can continue to be welcomed.

The dossier acknowledges that the government currently does not prioritize returning families, warning that such hesitancy may create “perverse incentives.” To address this, the government plans to provide financial support to encourage voluntary returns and will pursue enforced removals if families refuse. A consultation will be held on procedures for family removals, including those involving children, while ensuring children are not separated from their parents during deportation.

The reforms also extend the waiting period for successful asylum seekers to apply for permanent residency from five years to 20 years.

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