What Temporary Changes Has Yvette Cooper Just Announced For The Asylum System?

Home secretary Yvette Cooper just unveiled new "temporary" changes to the UK's asylum system.Yvette Cooper has just announced some temporary changes to the UK’s asylum system following weeks of anti-asylum protests across the country.The home secretary declared that the application of refugees trying to bring family members to the UK has been halted.This is a temporary measure until new tighter measures can be put in place, according to Cooper.While she insisted it is still the “British way” to help those who need sanctuary, the home secretary suggested the system needed changing.She said applications to bring families now came approximately a month after protection for the initial refugee has been granted – sometimes before a refugee has left asylum accommodation.Cooper said: “As a consequence, refugee families who arrive are far more likely to be seeking homelessness assistance, and some councils are finding that more than a quarter of their family homelessness applications are linked to refugee family reunion.”Previously, the applications came around two years after the refugee has had their asylum status approved, giving them time to become established in the UK and set up a life appropriate for family. The home secretary said this is not sustainable, especially because it puts pressure on local authorities.She also claimed the family reunion rules for refugee sponsors are not as strict as they are for British sponsors, suggesting that needs to be changed.Cooper continued: “The proportion of migrants who have arrived on small boats and do then apply to bring family has also increased sharply in recent years, with signs that smuggler gangs are now able to use the promise of family reunion to promote dangerous journeys to the UK.”The home secretary insisted that she still believes family reunions are still important, so they will prioritised under the returns deal with France.An asylum policy statement later this year will lay out new family reunion rules, which she aims to have in place by spring.According to home secretary, that will look at “contribution requirements, longer periods before newly granted refugees can apply and dedicated controlled arrangements for unaccompanied children and for those fleeing persecution who have family in the UK.”She continued: “In the meantime, we do need to address the immediate pressures on local authorities and the risks from criminal gangs using family reunion as a pull factor to encourage more people onto dangerous boats.“Therefore, we are bringing forward new immigration rules this week to temporarily suspend new applications under the existing dedicated refugee family reunion route.“Until the new framework is introduced, refugees will be covered by the same family migration rules and conditions as everyone else.”Cooper’s remarks attempt to take the wind out of the sails of those who have been campaigning for fewer asylum seekers to come to the UK, like Reform.A recent YouGov poll also found 50% of the public are opposed to letting asylum seekers bring relatives to the country.But not everyone is happy – the Lib Dems called the new rules “counter-productive” while child refugee charity Safe Passage said they risked “diastrous consequences”.Britons tend to think successful asylum seekers should not be able to apply to bring family members to the UK, amid home secretary Yvette Cooper announcing a suspension of family reunion rules for refugeesShould: 31%Should not: 50% pic.twitter.com/4NOPwYooGK— YouGov (@YouGov) September 1, 2025Related...Liz Truss And Elon Musk Stoke Anti-Asylum Sentiment With Misleading Clip Of Labour MinisterLabour Is Looking Into Changing The European Convention On Human Rights. Here's Why That MattersLabour May Have Won The Court Battle On Housing Asylum Seekers, But Can It Win The Culture War?

Comments

Breaking news

Reform Set To Go Mainstream As Nearly Half Of Voters Say They Would Consider Backing Farage

Huffpost uk

Indianapolis lawyer called Mark Zuckerberg sues Meta after his Facebook accounts keep getting suspended: ‘This really p****** me off’

about 2 hours ago

Trump admin ditches Biden-era plan to make airlines pay compensation for flight disruptions

Independent

Comments

Breaking news

Reform Set To Go Mainstream As Nearly Half Of Voters Say They Would Consider Backing Farage

Major UK retailer to hire more than 13,000 workers for Christmas

Ex-pilot accused of trying to cut a passenger flight’s engines reaches plea deals, his lawyer says

Body of missing man found in truck revealed by Lake Powell's low water level

Luigi Mangione appeared to model a Shein shirt — and it sold out in a flash. Now fast-fashion chain is probing AI

Republicans have been smearing trans people as violent for years. Now DOJ wants to ban them from owning guns

Moment Chuck E Cheese is put in handcuffs in front of kids ‘for stealing customer’s credit card’

Florida grandma reprimanded for yelling ‘oh my god’ as she was found guilty of masterminding family murder-for-hire plot

Trump cutting funding to train and support European troops in countries bordering Russia: report

Trump tells European leaders that buying Russian oil is helping Moscow fund war against Ukraine

Indianapolis lawyer called Mark Zuckerberg sues Meta after his Facebook accounts keep getting suspended: ‘This really p****** me off’

Trump admin ditches Biden-era plan to make airlines pay compensation for flight disruptions

Photos from a fiery 3-hour Senate hearing with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Three kids known to Arizona’s child services were murdered. Now officials want answers

Case against Tennessee man accused of killing 4 people can move forward to grand jury, judge rules

The alarming number of motorists caught drink-driving every day

John Lewis Partnership to hire 13,700 Christmas staff in major recruitment drive

New technology for diabetic pregnant women will reduce risk of miscarriage and stillbirth

UK firms splash out almost £236,000 in past year on AI, poll finds

The proxy war that will redefine public health in America

D-Day for Rayner? PM's adviser prepares pivotal verdict - as her lawyers deny giving tax advice

Back with a bang? Farage returns from Trump meeting as Reform conference gets under way

Mum left fighting for her life with flesh-eating bacteria caught after swim

UK's best and worst airports revealed as terminal slammed for 'overflowing loos'

Volodymyr Zelensky reveals new Donald Trump 'force' threat made over the phone

UK households urged to remove 5 plants from bedroom that can ruin a night's sleep

Shock poll: Even Republicans agree Donald Trump should quit if his health deteriorates

Emmanuel Haro update as missing baby's parents appear in court charged with murder

Mum devastated after being banned from Greggs store along with autistic son

John Lewis reveals plans to hire record 13,700 workers – here's how to apply

Lawyer of British teenager held in Georgia jail criticises British embassy

Trump to rebrand Pentagon as Department of War

Rayner's 'judgement day' and 'Dorries joins Tories'

London City agree £1.4m world record deal for PSG’s Geyoro

Financial rules have 'killed' Villa - Konsa

Error leaves 55,000 diabetes patients needing new tests

David Bowie’s secret final project discovered locked in his study

Sir John Curtice: How Reform's capture of the Brexit vote could be enough to win an election

U.S. Agents Raid Upstate N.Y. Plant and Detain More Than 70 Migrants

Melania Trump Has a Warning for Humanity: ‘The Robots Are Here’

N.Y.C. Elections Board May Block Ballot Proposals on Housing

Trump Is Renaming the Defense Department the Department of War

Trump Administration to End Security Programs Protecting European Allies From Russia

Trump Officials Ask Military Lawyers to Serve as Immigration Judges

At Harvard, Judge’s Ruling on Funding Gives Students One More Thing to Ponder

New Congressional Map Clears First Hurdle in Missouri

Reform HQ Is Re-Branded 'Trump Tower' After Farage's White House Love-In

Ghosthunter who died showing off ‘cursed’ Annabelle doll has cause of death revealed

Public urged to call 999 if they see man linked to murder investigation after body found in house

US considers ban on wholesale shopping and other visa restrictions for Iranians during UN meeting

DOJ reveals items taken from John Bolton’s house during FBI raid including folders labeled ‘Trump I-IV’

Lawsuit that claimed Fox Sports ex-host harassed hairstylist has been mostly resolved

Telescope reveals a growing tail on the comet that's visiting from another star

Immigrant pleads guilty to being in US illegally after judge allegedly helped him evade agents

Suspect among 2 dead in mass stabbing in Canada, 8 injured

Sabalenka plays Pegula, and Osaka meets Anisimova in the US Open women's semifinals

Woman wrongly accused of carjacking loses lawsuit against Detroit police who used facial tech

RFK Jr becomes an unlikely great uniter as Democrats and Republicans join forces to pounce on his pseudoscience

Chaotic showdown over Guatemalan children exposes fault lines in Trump’s deportation push

Trump administration targets Boston in latest sanctuary city lawsuit