Charity’s decision to scrap Rwanda plan opens door for 62,000 additional asylum seekers to obtain refugee status

The report highlighted that seven out of 10 illegal immigrants who crossed the English Channel could potentially be considered refugees if their asylum claims were reviewed.

According to a refugee charity, approximately 62,000 more asylum seekers could be granted refugee status in the UK since the new Labour government abandoned the Rwanda plan.

Under the previous government’s policy, asylum seekers arriving illegally in the country, such as via small boats across the English Channel, would have their asylum applications rejected and be sent to a safe third country like Rwanda.

However, shortly after winning the election, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the Rwanda plan was no longer in effect and his government had resumed processing all asylum claims regardless of the method asylum seekers used to enter the country.

The Refugee Council analyzed official data and estimated, based on grant rates in the previous 12 months leading up to the July 4 election, that there could be as many as 118,063 asylum applications awaiting a decision by January 2025. Of these, 62,801 individuals who would not have been processed under the Conservative government’s policy may now be recognized as refugees and granted permission to stay in the country.

The report also noted that “seven out of ten individuals who crossed the Channel in the twelve months leading up to June 2024 would likely be acknowledged as refugees if their asylum claims were reviewed.”

Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, expressed concern about the speed and efficiency of the decision-making process to avoid creating another backlog.

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The Conservative government’s efforts to clear the backlog in asylum applications led to a record number of individuals being granted refugee status. Home Office data indicated that a total of 68,564 people were given asylum or other leave in the year ending March 2024, the highest number on record since 1984.

The department attributed this record-breaking figure to a combination of a high grant rate and a large number of decisions being made.

‘Broken’ Asylum System

Solomon emphasized that Labour inherited a “broken” asylum system that required comprehensive reform to establish a fair, orderly, and compassionate asylum system.

The head of the Refugee Council stated, “A functioning system promptly and accurately determines who has a valid reason to be protected in the UK, supports refugees in rebuilding their lives, and provides clarity to both asylum seekers and the public regarding who can stay in the UK.”

The Home Office responded to the Refugee Council’s report by stating, “Our government took swift action to restore order to the asylum system we inherited by resuming asylum processing to address the backlog.

The government aims to reduce illegal immigration by disrupting people smuggling, cooperating with European partners at the source of the problem, and confiscating boating equipment used for illegal crossings.

However, the Refugee Council chief warned that even if the government succeeds in preventing boat crossings, criminal organizations will find alternative methods to bring asylum seekers into the UK illegally.

Solomon stated, “Increased enforcement in one area triggers displacement; smugglers adapt and seek new routes.”

He added, “Displacement is likely when enforcing certain measures as migrants seek different routes to reach the UK.”

The Conservatives criticized Labour for abandoning the Rwanda policy, which they believed acted as a deterrent to illegal immigration. Starmer argued that the plan was ineffective and a mere gimmick.

PA Media contributed to this report.