The United Kingdom is set to welcome refugees from across the globe, prioritisingand girls, as well as Palestinians, as part of renewed focus on “safe and legal routes” for vulnerable people to reach the country, according to news agency AFP.
The decision signals a change in UK Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood’s stance towards asylum seekers, following the closure of the Afghan resettlement scheme last year and the introduction of rules under which refugee status will be subject to review for up to 20 years.
“Fairness is what unites us in this country. A fair society is what unlocks the very best of us. Because when people think this country is fair, they are more open and generous to others. When this country feels unfair, people turn inwards. They grow less willing to tolerate difference,” she will say, according to The Guardian.
“I know the British people have not given up on their belief that we should be compassionate, live up to our international obligations, and save the lives of those fleeing war and persecution.”
“But I also know this process must be capped and controlled, and communities must be ready and able to welcome those who come here,” she added.
The scheme will reopen immediately and, along with three new “community” refugee sponsorship routes previously announced, is initially expected to welcome hundreds of applicants, according to AFP.
The Guardian, citing immigration experts, reported that the number of people who will qualify for the scheme is too low to discourage migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats from seeking asylum.
The scheme is likely to attract strong criticism from the right, as women, girls and people with disabilities are more likely to rely on state-provided welfare support.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, an influential figure within Labour, said in a newspaper interview last week that she was concerned about some of the planned changes because they “change the goalposts”.
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) will be responsible for identifying refugees eligible under the scheme, according to The Guardian.
The programme stopped accepting new referrals in December 2024, by which time only a very small number of people were using it. Mahmood is expected to announce its immediate reopening, with priority being given to vulnerable women and girls, as well as people with disabilities.
The scheme will also allow immediate family members to be reunited. However, the provision will not extend to wider family members, following the government’s earlier decision to tighten rules on family reunification.
(With inputs from agencies)
