Resource

Evidence from research, survivors and Helen Bamber Foundation's clinical experience shows that the government's asylum reforms will not deter people seeking safety from coming to the UK but will instead significantly harm the mental health and social integration of those recognised as needing protection in this country. These are men, women, children and families who have fled war, conflict, torture, trafficking, persecution and extreme cruelty. At a point when they most need safety and security, they will be left in a state of ongoing limbo and anxiety about being removed from the country, even once they have been recognised as refugees, and made to wait for over twenty years before they can settle here. The creation of a two-tier system with opportunities for earlier settlement only for those in work and study will discriminate against the most vulnerable.

Recognised refugees are currently granted ‘refugee status’ with five years of ‘leave to remain’ (permission to be in the UK), after which they can apply for permanent status (indefinite leave to remain). In December 2025, the UK government announced that it plans to replace this system with a new ‘core protection status’,   with refugees given leave to remain for just two and a half years, after which their situation is reviewed to see whether protection is still needed. Refugees would also have to wait up 20 years – renewing their ‘core protection’ status eight times – before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). If they move on to a new ‘Protection Work and Study’ route they can ‘earn’ settlement more quickly. This links to wider immigration proposals under which people will have to demonstrate some form of ‘contribution’ to society before being eligible for ILR.

Stability and security are essential for refugees to recover from trauma. Refugees and survivors of trafficking who live under the constant threat of losing their status or are repeatedly forced to re-engage with an adversarial and/or complex immigration process can experience worsening symptoms of anxiety, depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Quadrupling the period in which refugees must wait before they can get long-term permission to stay in the UK will increase the risk of destitution, exacerbate trauma, and prevent them from being able to rebuild their lives. 

Refugees have often fled violence, persecution, or traumatic loss; a sense of stability is crucial for their subsequent recovery. When individuals are repeatedly required to re-prove their need for protection, they are kept in a constant state of anxiety about their future, which can exacerbate symptoms of PTSD, depression, and chronic stress. Instead of being able to focus on rebuilding their lives, their attention is continually pulled back to the fear of losing their right to stay.

This insecurity also disrupts key aspects of daily life that support psychological wellbeing, such as stable housing, employment, and long-term relationships. Employers and landlords may be reluctant to offer opportunities to people whose legal status appears temporary, making it harder for refugees to achieve financial security or plan for the future. Without the ability to settle or invest emotionally in their communities, refugees can experience isolation and hopelessness. These stressors compound over time, particularly when the pathway to permanent settlement stretches so far ahead that it feels unattainable.

This briefing brings together existing academic research on the impact of short-term leave and long routes to settlement for people seeking protection, along with the views of survivors supported by HBF on how these proposals will affect them and other refugees. It shows the significant negative impact that the creation of prolonged insecurity will have on both mental health and social integration.

It was co-written by the Helen Bamber Foundation Co-Production Team, a mixed team of researchers with lived-experience of seeking asylum in the UK and researchers with learnt/academic experience. Clients from the Helen Bamber Foundation also shared their perspectives on the impact of these policy changes and their words are included throughout the briefing. To read the full briefing, click on the arrow below. 

Further briefings

HBF’s evidence to the Home Affairs Committee Inquiry on Routes to Settlement, December 2025

Refugee and Migrant Children’s Consortium briefing on the government’s asylum and settlement reforms and their impact on children, January 2026