Migrants who hope to secure permanent residency in the United Kingdom will now face stricter conditions under reforms to be announced by Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood.
At present, individuals with family ties who have lived in Britain for five years, or those who have legally resided in the country for a decade, qualify for “indefinite leave to remain,” which allows them to live, work, study, claim benefits, and apply for citizenship.
However, under the new policy direction, applicants will be required to hold jobs, make social security contributions, refrain from claiming benefits, maintain clean criminal records, and also engage in voluntary service within their communities. The Labour government intends to open consultations on these changes later this year.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of increasing pressure from the opposition Reform Party, which recently declared that it would abolish “indefinite leave to remain” altogether, replacing it with a system where migrants would need to reapply for visas every five years. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the Reform plan as “racist” and divisive, warning that it would destabilise communities.
Mahmood is expected to deliver the announcement during the Labour Party’s annual conference, where she will also stress the need for migrants to learn English to a high standard. She will pledge to act firmly on immigration and caution that ignoring the issue could lead working-class voters to embrace the promises of Reform leader Nigel Farage.
Finance Minister Rachel Reeves will also address the conference, where she is expected to announce plans aimed at boosting youth employment while assuring investment in Britain’s economic renewal.
What you should know
The UK government is moving to overhaul the rules guiding permanent residency, linking it to work, community engagement, and independence from welfare benefits.
The plan, which comes amid mounting pressure from Reform’s anti-immigration stance, is Labour’s attempt to tighten control of immigration while countering the far-right narrative.
