In respect of offenders sentenced to less than four years, the current Article 8 regime allows a deportation decision to be made with consideration to only the impact on the criminal or their family. Clause 20 changes this so that account must be taken of the wider public interest in deportation. The actual test in relation to unduly harsh will reflect current case law requiring the need to demonstrate a significant interference with family life.

However, the new s117C framework will thereafter allow a person’s criminal and immigration history to be considered before a person’s deportation can be deemed disproportionate.

Data relating to people receiving asylum support is published on GOV.UK as part of the immigration system statistics quarterly release. The latest information, from the year ending March 2026, is available in the data set ‘Asylum seekers in receipt of Home Office support’.

This data includes those in receipt of section 95 and section 4 support. Those receiving section 4 support are failed asylum seekers i.e. those whose asylum claims have been refused or declared inadmissible. The data for the period ending March 2026 shows, 4,745 people were in receipt of section 4 support. Within the published section 95 data, families with dependent children who have have had their asylum claims refused will be included, however, we do not currently publish data for the section 95 cohort by claim outcome.

The Family Returns: Reforming Asylum Support and Enforcing Family Returns consultation launched on Thursday 5 March and closed on Friday 5 June.

The Government is currently analysing the consultation responses and will issue its response on GOV.UK once the analysis has been completed.

An addendum correcting numbering errors identified in the Family Returns Consultation, as launched on 5 March 2026, was sent to stakeholders on 14 March. These minor corrections do not affect the substance of the proposals.

To allow proper consideration of the updated information, the consultation period has been extended by one week and will now end on 4 June 2026.

Since 5 March, officials have continued to engage with stakeholders to support informed responses.

The Home Office did not receive any advice from the Propriety, Ethics and Constitution team in the Cabinet Office prior to launching the Family Returns: Reforming Asylum Support and Enforcing Family Returns consultation on 5 March. This team provides advice on the interpretation of the Consultation Principles, but not on how to run specific consultations.

The consultation was developed and launched in line with the Cabinet Office’s Consultation Principles, including ensuring clarity of scope, openness to a wide range of views and appropriate duration. The consultation document sets out clearly the proposals under consideration, the questions on which views are sought and how responses will be used.

As no such advice was received, there are no plans to publish it.

The consultation, launched on 5 March, has been shared with a range of expert stakeholders across government, the third sector and beyond, including local authorities. A copy was also deposited in the libraries of both Houses and can be found online.

There will be a range of workshops and engagements over the coming weeks to maximise reach and engagement.

Data relating to people receiving section 95 support is published on GOV.UK as part of the immigration system statistics quarterly release. You can find the latest information in the data set from year ending December 2025 ‘Asylum seekers in receipt of Home Office support’. We do not currently publish data on those in receipt of support to the level of their family and appeal status.

The UK continues to welcome refugees and people in need through our global resettlement schemes, which include the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme.

We are developing new capped sponsored refugee pathways across education, labour and community routes. This will ensure that there are routes available to support individuals in need of protection, but in a way that meets the need of UK communities.

During the suspension of Appendix Family Reunion, the Government is taking forward wider asylum and family reforms to place the system on a fairer, more controlled and sustainable footing. Further information on forthcoming changes will be set out in due course. In the meantime, other family routes remain available, including Appendix FM: Family Members, which was amended to allow applications from a partner and dependent children of a sponsor with protection status in the UK.

The family reunion route was suspended to ease the pressures that local authorities and public services have been placed under due to the recent significant increase in people arriving under this route in recent years.

Outstanding applications will continue to be considered under the family reunion rules in place prior to the commencement of the suspension, including those that are at appeal.

During the suspension, the Government is taking forward wider asylum and family reforms to place the system on a fairer, controlled and sustainable footing. Further information on forthcoming changes will be set out in due course. In the meantime, other family routes remain available, including Appendix FM.

Those who claimed asylum or made further submissions before 2 March 2026, and who are eligible for protection, will receive 5 years’ permission to stay in accordance with the transitional arrangements included in the Immigration Rules laid on 5 March 2026.

We will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

Refugees granted refugee status or humanitarian protection (as well as those arriving under one of the UK’s resettlement schemes) have immediate access to the labour market and benefits, including employment support from Department for Work and Pensions work coaches. Unemployed refugees are eligible for full funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages learning.

Those who claimed asylum or made further submissions before 2 March 2026, and who are eligible for protection, will receive 5 years’ permission to stay in accordance with the transitional arrangements included in the Immigration Rules laid on 5 March 2026.

Refugees approaching the end of their 5 years’ permission remain eligible to apply under Appendix Settlement Protection.

The family reunion route was suspended to ease the pressures that local authorities and public services have been placed under due to the recent significant increase in people arriving under this route in recent years. Other family routes remain available including Appendix FM, and cases lodged before the suspension continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis. During the suspension, we are undertaking a review of the route, along with the wider family rules, to place the system on a more sustainable footing. Further information about forthcoming changes will follow in due course

The Home Office maintains regular engagement with a wide range of stakeholders on asylum and immigration matters, including providing updates on policy developments. As with any change, we recognise that there may be impacts arising from the package of reforms on organisations supporting asylum seekers and refugees.  We will maintain our regular engagement and on-going work with, for example, local authorities, Non-Government Organisations and other stakeholders.

Children are not a homogeneous cohort, and careful consideration will be given as to how children will be impacted when policy frameworks are applied in respect of them, in line with Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). We will work with external stakeholders to shape policy development, including elements which will impact children. Whilst the changes take place the Government will continue to protect the welfare and best interests of children, including refugees

This Government is committed to supporting refugees and those granted protection in the UK to fully integrate and contribute to British economy and society, in a way that promotes community cohesion. All refugees and those granted protection in the UK should be able to fully integrate into life here and become self-sufficient, providing for themselves and their families, and contributing to the economy.

Whilst the data specifically requested is not recorded in a reportable format, the Home Office does publish data on the number of people who have claimed asylum in the UK and the number of people granted asylum in the UK - Immigration system statistics, year ending September 2025 - GOV.UK.

In addition, the Home Office publishes data on the number of people who arrived under the Refugee Family Reunion route - How many people come to the UK via safe and legal (humanitarian) routes? - GOV.UK.

The Refugee Family Reunion Route was available to those granted protection status in the UK, until 4 September 2025, when the Government introduced a temporary suspension for all new applications, as we undertake a full review and reform of the current family rules to ensure we have a fair and properly balanced system.

Under the Refugee Family Reunion route, applicants did not have to meet the minimum income requirement. Following the publication of the the Government’s asylum and returns policy statement last month, we intend to change the Refugee Family Reunion and end the automatic right for refugees to bring their immediate family to the UK.

The Government’s Asylum Policy Statement outlines the current challenges, the Government’s objectives, and a comprehensive package of measures to restore order, control, fairness and public confidence in the UK’s system. Specific Impact Assessments will be undertaken as policies are developed more fully. These will be kept under review to ensure that there are no unintended impacts on people with protected characteristics.

Further details on asylum reform, including support and contributions, will also be announced in due course.

The Asylum and Returns Policy Statement sets out the intention that we will review protection status for people who do not switch out of Core Protection. This is part of the wider package that seeks to incentivise people to switch (alongside the ability to earn down the time to settlement, and sponsor family members).

We cannot predict with any certainty what proportion of people will switch, although the system will be designed to ensure that switching is a viable option for the majority of people.

For those who do remain on Core Protection, reviews will be conducted on a targeted basis so that we can make the most efficient use of resources. The renewal stage will generally involve a simple security check, and we will set business rules to identify cases that warrant a manual intervention.

The Government’s Asylum Policy Statement outlines the current challenges, the Government’s objectives, and a comprehensive package of measures to restore order, control, fairness and public confidence in the UK’s system. Specific Impact Assessments will be undertaken as policies are developed more fully. These will be kept under review to ensure that there are no unintended impacts on people with protected characteristics.

Further details on asylum reform, including support and contributions, will also be announced in due course.

The Asylum and Returns Policy Statement sets out the intention that we will review protection status for people who do not switch out of Core Protection. This is part of the wider package that seeks to incentivise people to switch (alongside the ability to earn down the time to settlement, and sponsor family members).

We cannot predict with any certainty what proportion of people will switch, although the system will be designed to ensure that switching is a viable option for the majority of people.

For those who do remain on Core Protection, reviews will be conducted on a targeted basis so that we can make the most efficient use of resources. The renewal stage will generally involve a simple security check, and we will set business rules to identify cases that warrant a manual intervention.

This suspension is temporary while the Government undertake a review and reform of the current family reunion rules to ensure we have a fair and properly balanced system. We anticipate that any changes will come into effect from spring 2026.

To ask His Majesty’s Government, following the temporary suspension of new applications to a refugee family reunion scheme, what is the timeline for introducing a new route.

I thank the Minister for his response, but I will press him further. Recent research from Oxfam and the Refugee Council has found clear evidence of people turning to cross-channel smugglers to reach family members because they could not access a safe and legal family reunion pathway. Therefore, what dedicated family reunion pathways are being considered by the Government that will offer safe, legal and accessible alternatives to asylum seekers, and which will thereby disrupt smuggling operations?

My Lords, safe and legal routes have always included working with the United Nations on its various programmes. I had the honour of organising the Bosnian one in the 1990s. Therefore, can the Minister confirm that the Government are still actively in touch with the United Nations to make sure that that safe and legal route is exploited where appropriate to give sanctuary to those that need it?

My Lords, the suspension of the refugee scheme until next spring presents a particular problem for unaccompanied children whose refugee parents in the United Kingdom will be making an application for them to come to the United Kingdom. What special consideration have the Minister and the Government given to those children in that regard, in this period between now and next spring?

My Lords, if I had a very suspicious mind, I would be inclined to ask the Minister whether this is an excuse for stopping family reunion altogether. I do not have such a suspicious mind all the time; I just wonder whether he can give us an assurance that this is not just a way of blocking the whole process. He will know that last night, we debated the whole thing of child and family reunion, and it will be coming up again on Report.

My Lords, if refugees living in the UK can demonstrate that they are in stable employment and contributing to society, and that their families would not be dependent on public funds, will their families be allowed to join them in this country?