The United Kingdom is preparing for one of the most far-reaching changes to its asylum policy in recent memory, as the Labour government looks to adopt a Denmark-style model for handling refugees. The proposed system would mean that asylum seekers, even after being granted protection, would be allowed to remain in the country only temporarily. Once their visa expires, they would have to return home—ending the long-standing expectation that they could eventually settle permanently in Britain.
The announcement has generated deep uncertainty among large numbers of asylum applicants, many of whom had hoped the UK would offer them long-term security. Instead, they now face the possibility of temporary status with no route to settlement.
Denmark’s approach, which has inspired the British proposal, is widely regarded as one of the harshest in Europe. Refugees there receive two-year temporary permits and must undergo repeated renewal processes. Although extensions are possible, citizenship has become extremely difficult to obtain, creating a revolving cycle of insecurity for many.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood argues that Denmark’s tough system has been politically effective, helping its government contain right-wing pressures by demonstrating strict control over immigration. Mahmood believes the UK must adopt similarly firm measures to restore public confidence.
Current UK policy grants five years of refugee status, after which individuals may apply for permanent residency. The new proposal would eliminate that pathway. Thousands who have already been granted asylum are now anxious, wondering whether the rules will apply to them. Legal experts anticipate that only new applicants will fall under the revised policy, but uncertainty remains.
Inside the Labour Party, the policy has triggered fierce debate. MP Clive Lewis has condemned the Denmark model as a reflection of “far-right talking points”, while MP Nadia Whittome has labelled it “a moral, political and electoral dead end”. Mahmood, however, is preparing to warn colleagues that refusing to act now may lead to even more severe proposals in future.
She also intends to address concerns about the role of what she terms “activist judges”, who she claims often obstruct deportations by placing too much emphasis on the right to family life.
Other political parties are staking out their positions: Reform UK insists all small-boat arrivals should be detained and removed immediately, while the Conservatives argue that reinstating the scrapped Rwanda policy is the only meaningful deterrent.
Although Mahmood concedes the UK’s borders are currently “out of control”, she maintains that adopting a Denmark-style system could curb asylum numbers and enable Labour to rebuild public trust across a range of national issues, extending well beyond immigration.