The United Kingdom's overhaul of its asylum program takes effect on Monday (March 2, 2026), the Home Office announced, with the new rules drastically cutting protections for refugees and their children. The overhaul was announced in November, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood arguing the previous system was too generous compared to other European countries. "We must also ensure our asylum system is not creating pull factors that draw people on dangerous journeys across the world, fuelling and funding the human traffickers," she said in the Home Office statement. The tougher stance has been seen as an attempt to claw back surging support for firebrand Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform U.K. party. The top five nationalities with the largest number of people claiming asylum were Pakistan, Eritrea, Iran, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Source: The Hindu March 02, 2026 09:10 UTC