Immigration News Weekly Roundup – 3 October 2025
The Labour Government has unveiled its most comprehensive immigration reform package since taking office. Addressing what Prime Minister Keir Starmer characterises as a system fundamentally broken by Brexit. At the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Starmer controversially termed Channel crossings “Farage boats“, attributing the surge in illegal arrivals to Brexit’s loss of the Dublin Convention, which previously allowed the UK to return asylum seekers to the first EU member state they entered.
At the heart of these reforms lies Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s contribution-based settlement model, which would fundamentally transform the pathway to permanent residence. The baseline qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain would double from five to ten years, with applicants required to demonstrate active contribution to British society rather than mere compliance with immigration rules. This represents a philosophical shift from a time-served model towards one that explicitly weighs individual contributions.
The proposed conditions are notably stringent. Applicants must maintain continuous employment whilst making National Insurance contributions throughout their residence period. Any reliance on benefits would result in disqualification, drawing sharp criticism from refugee charities. The Refugee Council argues this creates insurmountable barriers for asylum seekers, who are typically prohibited from working and forced to rely on state support, often given less than thirty days to find accommodation once granted protection.
Beyond employment and financial self-sufficiency, the system demands high-level English proficiency and a spotless criminal record, with motoring offences excluded but other crimes potentially triggering automatic disqualification or extended waiting periods. Community engagement through voluntary work would also be assessed, creating a holistic evaluation of integration into British life.
The sliding scale approach means those with exceptional skills or contributions could qualify for accelerated settlement in less than ten years. Conversely, individuals deemed to have made lesser contributions might wait considerably longer or be refused settlement entirely despite lawful residence. This discretionary element will require careful navigation by immigration advisers. The Home Office will launch a public consultation by year’s end, with implementation likely in 2026 or beyond.
Running parallel is the controversial digital ID card initiative. Starmer announced plans to make the “Brit Card” mandatory for workers by 2029, built on existing One Login infrastructure and accessed via smartphone. The system would allow employers, immigration authorities, banks and landlords to verify identity and immigration status. The Government maintains this would make illegal working substantially more difficult whilst streamlining access to services.
However, fierce resistance has emerged. Over 2.5 million people have signed a petition opposing it as mass surveillance. Big Brother Watch warns the system could create a domestic surveillance infrastructure encompassing citizenship, benefits, tax, health and internet data, with sensitive information vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Both Conservative and Reform UK parties have criticised the scheme, with Nigel Farage calling it “anti-British.”
These political dynamics are particularly notable given Labour’s immigration package appears designed explicitly to counter the electoral threat from Reform UK, with recent polling suggesting Reform could win 311 parliamentary seats in a general election. Labour’s strategy positions itself between Reform’s extreme measures and humanitarian principles. Whilst Reform proposes abolishing indefinite leave to remain retrospectively, which Starmer condemned as ‘racist and immoral.’ Labour maintains a settlement pathway with stricter contribution requirements, believing this middle ground demonstrates firmness without punishing those already lawfully settled.
Starmer has also signalled willingness to examine how British courts interpret the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly articles prohibiting torture and protecting family life. Ministers believe both are interpreted too broadly when judges decide whether convicted criminals can be deported. Starmer stressed the Government would not withdraw from the ECHR but would “look again at the interpretation of some of these provisions”.
Freedom from Torture has warned that weakening article 3 protections “risks setting in train the destruction of the absolute ban on torture”. This highlights the tension Labour faces in attempting to facilitate deportations whilst maintaining human rights commitments, a balance likely to generate legal challenges.
The consultation process will be critical for immigration advisers seeking to influence the final policy framework. Practitioners will need to monitor how the contributions sliding scale is operationalised, what evidence satisfies integration requirements, which criminal offences trigger automatic disqualification, and how voluntary work is assessed.
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For the full list of updates on media news, reports and Home Office Guidance and Policy updates, SEE BELOW
Immigration News
New contribution-based settlement model to reduce net migration – UKVI News
The Home Secretary has announced a proposed new contribution-based settlement model to reduce net migration, boost integration and reduce pressure on public services. To ensure people contribute to the economy and society before being able to settle in the UK, under the new model they will have to be lawfully resident in the UK for the minimum of 10 years, double the current period. For full report, click here
Foreigners underrepresented among prisoners in England and Wales, report finds – The Guardian
Foreign nationals are underrepresented as a proportion of prisoners jailed in England and Wales when compared with rates of incarceration among British citizens of similar age, an analysis of Government data has found. In June, 12.4% of prisoners were non-UK nationals, excluding people with no recorded nationality, according to Oxford University’s Migration Observatory. The figure roughly mirrors official statistics indicating that about 12% of the overall population in England and Wales last year were foreign nationals. For full report, click here
International students left in limbo by UCL after university exceeds visa allocations – The Guardian
Hundreds of international students accepted on courses by University College London have been left in limbo and facing thousands of pounds in costs, after the university admitted it had run out of places just days before many were due to start. About 200 students from China alone have been affected after UCL exceeded its visa allocations for the coming academic year, with the university initially telling the students that they would have to defer their studies until 2026. For full report, click here
At least a third of EU citizens in UK report discrimination by public bodies – The Guardian
A significant number of EU citizens living long term in the UK post Brexit are experiencing discrimination in work and in public services, a report by the UK’s statutory Brexit watchdog has revealed. One in five said they had experienced difficulties accessing their rights including the right to work, the right to travel in and out of the country and their right to equal treatment in public services. For full report, click here
Starmer to rethink human rights law to tackle ‘Farage boats’ – The Guardian
Keir Starmer has said he will look at how international law is being interpreted by British courts to tackle small boats, which he labelled “Farage boats” because of their increase in number since Brexit. The Prime Minister signalled his unhappiness with how the European convention on human rights was being interpreted by judges making decisions about deportations. For full report, click here
UK accused of ‘stark injustice’ as woman from Montserrat refused free NHS care – The Guardian
The UK has been accused of a “stark injustice” for failing to provide health services and humanitarian support to citizens of British Overseas Territories after a woman from the Caribbean Island of Montserrat was refused free NHS care and left homeless. For full report, click here
Stop blaming migrants and tackle UK’s real problems, 100 charities tell home secretary – The Guardian
More than 100 charities have sent a letter to the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, calling for an end to the “scapegoating of migrants”. The letter, sent before her speech at the Labour party conference was coordinated by Refugee Action and signed by 105 organisations from a wide range of sectors, including Save the Children, Mind, Oxfam, Shelter, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, as well as dozens of migrant and anti-racism charities. For full report, click here
High standard of English to be required for leave to remain, Mahmood to pledge – The Guardian
Criminals and people who cannot speak English to “a high standard” will be denied permission to settle in the UK. Shabana Mahmood will announce on Monday, in proposals intended to contain the growing electoral threat from Reform UK. In a speech framing herself as a “tough home secretary”, Mahmood stated people seeking indefinite leave to remain (ILR) will have to demonstrate they have integrated and “contributed” to society through national insurance payments and voluntary work and not relied on benefits. For full report, click here
Child dies while reportedly trying to reach UK in small boat – The Guardian
A child is believed to have died while trying to cross the Channel in a small boat, according to French reports. The body of the teenager, who was believed to have fallen from a dinghy, was discovered on a beach in northern France on Sunday. For full report, click here
Two women die trying to cross Channel from France – The Guardian
Two women have died while trying to cross the Channel to Britain, French authorities said. The incident occurred south of the beaches of Neufchâtel-Hardelot, where about 100 people were trying to get to the UK on a makeshift boat. For full report, click here
More than 2.5m sign petition opposing Starmer’s plan for digital ID cards – The Guardian
More than 2.5 million people have signed a petition opposing the introduction of digital ID cards after Keir Starmer announced plans to make them mandatory for people working in the UK by 2029. The petition says, “no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system”, which it describes as a “step towards mass surveillance and digital control”. For full report, click here
Keir Starmer says digital ID cards an ‘enormous opportunity’ for the UK – The Guardian
Digital ID cards present “an enormous opportunity” for the UK, Keir Starmer has said, as the Government braces for a civil liberties row over the proposals. The Prime Minister will set out the measures on Friday morning at a conference on how progressive politicians can tackle the problems facing the UK, including addressing voter concerns around immigration. For full report, click here
Anti-migrant activists may target rental homes, charities warn – The Guardian
Fears are growing that shared houses may become the focus of anti-migrant protests, with residents and charities saying tensions are building in some areas. Homes of multiple occupation (HMOs) have grown in number as renters seek affordable accommodation amid a housing crisis. For full report, click here
How many people cross the Channel in small boats? – BBC News UK
More than 33,500 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats since the start of 2025. At the Labour Party conference, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer committed to “smash” people smuggling gangs and cut the number of crossings by 2029. For full report, click here
Case Law
Secretary of State for the Home Department v Kapp [2025] EWCA Civ 1203
The Court of Appeal overturned a tribunal decision that would have allowed a 70-year-old grandmother, deported in 2002 for cannabis smuggling, to return to the UK to support her son’s family who all have disabilities. The Home Secretary won on a narrow point about whether she would need public funds, and the case has been sent back to the tribunal to reconsider only this issue, leaving the door open for the family to reunite if they can prove financial independence. For full decision, click here
R (Hamid) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2012] EWHC 3070 (Admin)
The Hamid case has established the High Court’s power to discipline immigration lawyers for professional misconduct, creating a formalised process where judges can refer practitioners to their regulators for issues like meritless last-minute applications or misuse of AI in court documents. A designated “Hamid judge” oversees this jurisdiction, which has resulted in sanctions including lawyers being struck off and now extends beyond immigration to all areas of law. For full decision, click here
Da Silva Pinho (FtT – jurisdiction) Portugal [2025] UKUT 317 (IAC)
The Upper Tribunal ruled in Da Silva Pinho case that the First-tier Tribunal lacked jurisdiction to decide a human rights appeal because no formal notice of appeal had been filed for that decision. The case emphasises that filing a notice of appeal is fundamental to commencing proceedings, and tribunals cannot hear appeals simply through case management powers or party agreement when the proper procedural steps have not been taken. For full decision, click here
Independent Reports
The risks of migrant worker exploitation in construction – by Work Rights Centre
The Work Rights Centre warns that including construction roles on the UK’s new Temporary Shortage List risks exposing migrant workers to exploitation similar to that seen in the care sector, as rigid visa sponsorship rules that tie workers to individual employer’s clash with the construction industry’s flexible, transient work arrangements. For full report, click here
Home Office Guidance and Documents Policy Updates
Immigration Act 2014 – appeals: caseworker has been updated on 01st October 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Register of licensed sponsors: workers has been updated on 01st October 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors: students has been updated on 01st October 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Ukraine: country policy and information notes has been updated on 01st October 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Ceasing asylum support: caseworker has been updated on 30th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Modern slavery victims: referral has been updated on 30th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Immigration Health Surcharge: caseworker has been updated on 30th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: EU Settlement Scheme: application processing times has been updated on 29th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT) has been updated on 29th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Iraq: country policy and information notes has been updated on 26th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Written by Shareen Khan – Legal Content Writer, HJT Training
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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration advisors should consult the full decisions and official policy documents when advising clients on specific cases.
