Refugees granted asylum in the UK will soon face stricter conditions on bringing family members into the country, as part of a new immigration crackdown set to be unveiled by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
In a statement to be delivered in the House of Commons on Monday, Cooper is expected to outline sweeping reforms aimed at tightening family reunification policies. The changes come amid a surge in small boat arrivals and growing public frustration over the ongoing use of hotels to house asylum seekers.
The key elements of the new policy includes; Stricter eligibility criteria for refugee family reunification, including proof of sufficient financial means, mandatory English language requirements for family members and delays in reunification timelines, mirroring systems in other European countries.
Cooper will argue that the new rules will bring greater fairness and balance to the asylum system, aligning the UK more closely with policies in countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark, where refugees often must wait up to three years before they can bring family members to join them.
The planned reforms come in response to a sharp increase in refugee family visas. The number of family members joining refugees in the UK surged from 4,300 in 2023 to 20,600 in the year to March 2025, a fivefold increase that has added significant pressure to the UK’s overstretched housing system. The spike has sparked protests across the country and mounting tensions in communities hosting asylum hotels.
The Home Secretary is also expected to announce that asylum hotels will be phased out by the end of the current Parliament in 2029.
New conditions for family entry
Currently, refugees in the UK can sponsor spouses, partners, and children as soon as they are granted asylum. Unlike most other immigration routes, there are no requirements for income, accommodation, or English language proficiency for these family members.
In contrast, British citizens must meet a minimum income threshold of £29,000 to sponsor a foreign partner, and those entering on other visas must also prove self-sufficiency and language skills.
Under the proposed changes, refugee families seeking reunification will be required to, demonstrate financial independence to ensure they will not rely on public funds, meet English language standards to promote integration and face potential waiting periods, in line with European policies.
The Home Office said these reforms are intended to reduce pressure on local councils and housing authorities, especially as homelessness applications linked to refugee family reunification have risen significantly.
In addition to the family reunification changes, the Government is also looking to restrict the use of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by migrants seeking to remain ino the UK.
Particular focus will be given to Article 8, which protects the right to family life. The Government plans to raise the threshold for using this right as a basis to remain in the UK, by strengthening the Home Office’s ability to argue that an individual’s stay is not in the public interest.
The crackdown is part of a broader government strategy to reclaim control over the immigration agenda, especially as public opinion continues to shift and political pressure mounts. The return of MPs to Westminster marks a pivotal moment, with Reform UK led by Nigel Farage in gaining traction in the polls and calling for mass deportations. The Conservatives, meanwhile, continue to push for reviving the controversial Rwanda deportation plan.
Cooper, seeking to distinguish Labour’s position, will argue that “sustainable and workable solutions” are needed dismissing what she describes as “fantasy promises” from her political opponents.
The policy shift follows recent reports, revealing that charities like the Red Cross have been funding travel costs for refugee families. The Red Cross currently assists up to 1,000 family members annually in joining relatives who have been granted asylum in the UK.
Addressing the forthcoming changes, Yvette Cooper said: “The family reunion system we inherited from the Conservatives is broken. As set out in the immigration White Paper, we are reviewing the entire family immigration system, including how Article 8 claims are interpreted in court.
That includes raising responsibilities on sponsors to support their families financially, increasing language requirements, and learning from reforms adopted by other countries.”
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