Andy Burnham has thrown his support behind Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s controversial immigration and asylum reforms, promising a system that is “both compassionate and credible” as Labour attempts to regain control of one of the most politically sensitive issues in Britain.
The package, debated in Parliament on Monday 13 July, includes major changes to asylum rules and the route by which migrants on work visas can qualify for permanent settlement in the UK. Burnham, expected to take over as prime minister next week, is positioning himself as a leader who can speak to voters demanding stronger borders while avoiding a complete break with Labour’s more liberal urban base.
At the centre of the dispute is a proposed change to Indefinite Leave to Remain, commonly known as ILR. Under the current standard route, many migrants can apply for settlement after five years. Mahmood’s plan would extend that period to between 10 and 15 years. The most controversial part is that the change could apply retrospectively to migrants who arrived from 2021, affecting an estimated 1.6 million people who may otherwise have expected to apply for ILR from this year.
Dozens of Labour MPs have urged Burnham to soften the proposal. A compromise is now widely expected, with the Home Office reportedly considering options such as allowing migrants to claim settled status while delaying access to benefits. There has also been discussion around possible exemptions for health and care workers, a group already central to Britain’s legal migration system.
Key Immigration Figures
| Issue | Figure / Proposal |
| Current standard ILR route | 5 years |
| Proposed ILR route | 10 to 15 years |
| Migrants potentially affected by 2021 arrivals | Around 1.6 million |
| Net migration before Labour took power | 649,000 |
| Net migration in 2025 | 171,000 |
| People in asylum hotels | Under 21,000 |
| People in other asylum accommodations | More than 72,000 |
| Labour MPs voting against the bill | 14 |
The political pressure for tougher immigration policy has shifted since net migration fell sharply from 649,000 in the year before Labour took office to 171,000 in 2025. Even so, immigration remains deeply polarising, particularly for Labour MPs facing pressure from Reform-leaning voters in some constituencies and Green-leaning voters in others.
Mahmood’s Immigration and Asylum Bill goes beyond legal migration. It introduces restrictions on asylum claims, including making refugee status temporary, requiring some asylum seekers to make a financial contribution, and limiting the use of family life arguments under the European Convention on Human Rights to resist deportation.
Burnham voted for the bill at its second reading, which passed comfortably. However, the opposition from 14 left-wing Labour MPs shows that the debate inside the party is far from over. Critics argue that the reforms risk punishing people who have already built lives in Britain, while supporters say Labour must prove that immigration rules are firm, fair and enforceable.
On irregular migration, Burnham is understood to favour reducing small boat crossings while accepting a controlled quota of refugees applying from outside the UK. One idea being discussed is a major expansion of the existing “one in, one out” arrangement with France. Under such a model, Britain could agree to accept tens of thousands of refugees from Europe in exchange for stronger cooperation on returning those who cross the Channel illegally.
Burnham has also focused heavily on the local impact of asylum accommodation, especially in post-industrial towns in the north and Midlands. He has criticised the use of hotels and houses of multiple occupation in deprived areas, arguing that low-cost procurement has placed unfair pressure on communities already facing housing and public service challenges.
Although the number of people housed in asylum hotels has fallen by a third to under 21,000 since Labour came to power, the number in other forms of asylum accommodation has risen by 8 per cent to more than 72,000. Burnham has pledged to end asylum contracts and close visible asylum hotels, while suggesting that councils should have more say over where asylum seekers are housed.
For now, the details of Burnham’s immigration policy remain uncertain. What is clear is the political direction: he wants a stricter system on borders and settlement, but one that can still be presented as orderly, fair, and socially responsible. The challenge will be whether Labour can design an immigration system that reassures the public without alienating migrants, employers, and communities already caught in the middle.
What is the UK’s Immigration and Asylum Bill
The bill sets out sweeping changes to the UK’s immigration and asylum system. Among its most significant proposals is a plan to replace many immigration judges with independent adjudicators, a move intended to speed up appeals and accelerate removals. It would also restrict the use of Article 8 family and private life claims in deportation cases.
The reforms would make settlement more difficult for many migrants by extending the standard route to Indefinite Leave to Remain from five years to ten years. Refugees could face an even longer wait, with some potentially required to spend up to 20 years in the UK before qualifying for permanent residence.
1- Appeals System to Be Reshaped
One of the most important changes is the creation of a new Independent Immigration Appeals Authority. Under the plan, many asylum and immigration appeals would no longer be heard by immigration judges in the First-tier Tribunal. Instead, they would be handled by independent adjudicators, with legally trained senior adjudicators available in more complex cases.
The government argues this will reduce delays and make removals faster. Mahmood told Parliament there are currently more than 150,000 people waiting for an appeal decision, with average waiting times of more than a year.
For migrants and asylum seekers, however, this could mean a faster but more restrictive system, with less room to challenge Home Office decisions before removal.
2- Article 8 Rights Under Pressure
The bill also tightens how Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights is applied in immigration and deportation cases. Article 8 protects the right to private and family life, and it has often been used by people trying to resist deportation or removal from the UK.
Mahmood told MPs that the government wants Parliament to define more clearly how family rights should be balanced against the public interest. The bill would give less weight to Article 8 claims where a person is in the UK illegally and would strengthen the public interest test in deportation cases involving foreign criminals.
This is one of the most controversial parts of the bill because it affects not only new arrivals but also people with family ties, children, partners, and long private lives in Britain.
3- Refugee Status and Settlement Face Major Changes
The bill sits alongside wider government plans to make settlement in the UK harder to obtain. The standard route to Indefinite Leave to Remain is set to move from five years to ten years for many migrants, while refugees could face a baseline wait of 20 years before becoming eligible for settlement.
The Migration Observatory at Oxford University has noted that the Home Office projected 1.6 million people would receive an ILR between 2026 and 2030 under the current rules. The proposed changes would affect migrants already living in the UK and would introduce tougher language, employment, and contribution requirements.
For many legal migrants, this is the most direct immigration consequence. People who came to Britain expecting a five-year route may now face a much longer and more uncertain journey to permanent residence.
4- Financial Contribution for Asylum Support
Another major proposal is the requirement for some asylum seekers to repay a flat-rate contribution towards the cost of accommodation and support once they are able to do so. The Home Office has said asylum seekers who can afford to contribute will be required to pay back part of the cost of their support under the new law.
Reports have suggested the expected amount could be around £10,000, although the final charge may depend on government rules and individual circumstances.
The policy is politically powerful because it links asylum support to future settlement. For refugees who were barred from working while waiting for decisions, the repayment model may become another barrier between temporary protection and long-term stability.
5- Deportation Powers for Serious Criminality
The bill also includes an amendment aimed at removing legal protections that currently prevent the deportation of some long-term Commonwealth citizens convicted of serious crimes. Mahmood said the change was prompted by the case of Shabir Ahmed, the Rochdale grooming gang ringleader, who has been protected from deportation under provisions connected to the Immigration Act 1971.
The Home Office says the new power would apply only in cases of exceptional severity. Yet the wider legal change is significant because it gives the Home Secretary greater power to disapply protections previously available to long-term residents.
6- Family Reunion: The Human Cost
While ministers speak of new safe and legal routes, the suspension of the refugee family reunion route has already had serious consequences. According to the Refugee Council, more than 16,000 people have been unable to apply to reunite with family members in the UK since the route was suspended in September 2025. The estimate includes 9,273 children and 5,835 women.
This is a crucial immigration issue because family reunion has long been one of the few legal routes available to close relatives of recognised refugees. Without it, critics argue that more families may be pushed towards dangerous and irregular routes.