16 January 2026: Earned settlement – the Government’s consultation
Summary: The government is consulting on how the current settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.
This consultation closes at
Consultation description
Settlement refers to a person’s right to live in the UK permanently without any immigration restrictions. It is also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
The 2025 UK Immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, introduced significant reforms to how migrants can settle in the UK.
Settlement will no longer be granted automatically after a fixed period. Instead, migrants will need to earn it by demonstrating sustained good conduct, contribution and integration.
Two points from the document that you may wish to reflect on:
It reads: These are significant reforms. They are designed to ensure our asylum system is fit for the modern world. And also, that the public consent for having an asylum system at all remains.
Genuine refugees will receive the protection they need. With control restored, we will open up new, capped routes for refugees for whom this country will be the first, safe haven they encounter. We will make community sponsorship the norm, so we know that the pace and scale of change does not exceed what a local area is willing to accept.
Comment:
- Note the reference to public consent for an asylum system – how does that fit with our responsibilities under the UN Convention,
- and also the shifting of provision of care of people seeking asylum from the Government to community sponsorship as the norm, and a way of deciding how many people will be allowed into the system