Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce changes to Britain’s asylum system on Monday in an attempt to quell rising fears about immigration.
According to The Guardian, the home secretary plans to amend laws that guarantee housing and financial support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.
The government said assistance will become “discretionary”, meaning it will be able to deny help to those who can work or have assets.
Mahmood has pitched the package of proposals as “the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times”, designed to “restore control and fairness to the system”.
She added, “This country has a proud tradition of welcoming those fleeing danger, but our generosity is drawing illegal migrants across the Channel. The pace and scale of migration is placing immense pressure on communities.”
However, the majority of asylum seekers currently receiving support are unlikely to be affected. Government sources said rules that mean most asylum seekers are not allowed to have jobs will not change.
There are about 100,000 people in receipt of asylum support in the UK, the vast majority of whom are accommodated by the state. About a third remain in hotels, although Labour has pledged to end this practice by 2029.
About 8,500 people in asylum accommodation have the right to work because they entered the country on a visa and later claimed asylum.
Those without visas whose claims remain outstanding after a year through no fault of their own are sometimes permitted to take on paid work, but only in a limited number of fields where there is deemed to be a significant shortage of suitable candidates.
