Mahmood to Reopen UK Refugee Resettlement Scheme in Bid to Curb Small Boat Crossings

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to announce the reopening of a refugee resettlement programme as part of a broader strategy to offer "safe and legal" alternatives to dangerous Channel crossings. The move, expected to be confirmed during her speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Monday, signals a significant shift in the government's approach to asylum and immigration policy.

The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), which ceased accepting new applications in December 2024, will reopen with immediate effect. According to the Home Office, approximately a quarter of those arriving under the revived programme will be Afghan women and girls, along with Palestinians. Hundreds of refugees are anticipated to arrive through this route, with numbers potentially rising to the "low thousands" as illegal migration figures decline.

In addition to restarting the UKRS, Mahmood will unveil three new sponsorship routes designed to involve communities, universities, and businesses in hosting refugees beginning next year. These initiatives aim to broaden the scope of legal entry pathways while maintaining what the Home Office describes as a "capped and controlled" process. An annual cap will be established, though specific figures have not yet been disclosed.

The home secretary is expected to frame her approach around the principles of fairness and international obligation. She will argue that the UK must "live up to our international obligations" by assisting those fleeing war and persecution, while simultaneously insisting that immigration must be carefully managed. "This is what we can do and who we can be as we restore control to our borders, bear down on the small boat crossings, and unlock the inherent generosity of this country," Mahmood is expected to say.

Under the safe and legal routes, arrivals will be placed on a five-year pathway to permanent settlement. This stands in contrast to proposals floated by the government to extend the qualification period for permanent residence for most migrant workers from five to ten years, with refugees potentially facing waits of up to twenty years.

The announcement comes amid pressure from within Labour's ranks. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has publicly criticised plans to change asylum rules, warning against shifting "the goalposts years down the line" for individuals who arrived in the UK earlier this decade expecting to secure permanent residence under existing regulations. Rayner renewed her criticism on the eve of the conference, highlighting internal divisions over immigration policy.

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp responded sharply to the plans, accusing Mahmood of making a "desperate attempt to appease" Labour critics of her asylum reforms. He argued that no further migrants or asylum seekers should be admitted, "no matter how deserving," until illegal immigration is reduced to near zero. Philp also claimed Mahmood was "running scared of Angela Rayner and the Labour left," suggesting the policy shift was driven by internal party politics rather than sound governance.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also condemned the move, asserting that the UK is "not obligated to take in more migrants." He warned that if his party were in power, individuals arriving under Labour's schemes would "not be able to stay." Farage further demanded that Labour call a general election if it believes the public supports what he characterised as "open borders policies." He also referenced a Sunday Times report about a former bodyguard to a Hamas leader who allegedly secured asylum and citizenship in the UK before plotting an attack against Jewish people in Europe.

The Refugee Council offered a more supportive response, though tempered with calls for greater ambition. Chief policy analyst Jon Featonby welcomed the new proposals but noted they follow a "drastic reduction in safe routes over the last year." He stressed that safe and legal routes are essential to dismantling people smugglers' business models, but emphasised that "they only work if they operate at scale." Featonby urged the government to commit to "thousands of places, not hundreds," and called for the immediate reopening of refugee family reunion programmes, which were paused in September 2025.

Statistics underscore the scale of previous resettlement efforts. The UKRS has resettled 4,589 refugees since its launch in 2021. More than 39,000 people arrived under the Afghan Resettlement Programme, which was closed to new applicants or discontinued as of July 2025. Other safe and legal routes have assisted Ukrainians affected by Russia's full-scale invasion and British National (Overseas) passport holders from Hong Kong.

Flora Alexander, executive director of the International Rescue Committee UK, welcomed the government's decision to prioritise Afghan women and girls and Palestinians under the revived UKRS. She described the scheme as a "well-established safe route" that helps people rebuild their lives in the UK, but cautioned that "it needs to be scaled up if it is to make a real difference."

The context for these policy changes is a notable decline in small boat crossings. More than 18,500 people have crossed the Channel this year, compared to over 32,000 during the same period in 2025. The Home Office views the expansion of safe and legal routes as a means of further reducing these numbers by offering viable alternatives to perilous journeys facilitated by criminal smuggling networks.

Mahmood's announcement represents an attempt to balance humanitarian commitments with domestic political pressures. By reopening the UKRS and introducing sponsorship routes, the government aims to demonstrate compassion while maintaining strict control over immigration levels. However, the policy faces criticism from both those who argue it goes too far and those who believe it does not go far enough.

The coming months will reveal whether these measures succeed in deterring small boat crossings and whether the government can deliver on its promise of a "capped and controlled" system that upholds international obligations without exacerbating domestic tensions over immigration. For now, the reopening of the UKRS marks a notable pivot in the UK's approach to refugee resettlement, one that seeks to project both generosity and control as the country navigates one of its most contentious political issues.