Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce next week her final decision on immigration rules, with social care workers already in the UK now likely to be exempt from a longer wait, the BBC understands. The proposed changes would extend the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five years to 10, with some lower-paid migrants facing a 15-year wait.
Permanent residence, or indefinite leave to remain, gives a person the right to live, work and study in the UK indefinitely and to apply for benefits if eligible. The Home Office consultation on the reforms attracted 200,000 responses.
The BBC understands that most other workers are likely, as originally proposed, to have to live and work in the UK for 10 years before being eligible, a period that can be reduced through contributions to their local communities or higher incomes. Mahmood had been concerned about the number of people who would qualify for permanent residency after a period of very high net migration under the previous government.
The proposals faced opposition from within the government. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner described them as “un-British” because they sought to change the rules for people who had come to the UK in good faith. A Conservative spokesperson said Mahmood “has caved in to pressure from Angela Rayner and her open borders MPs and will shred her own plans to reform indefinite leave to remain”. The spokesperson also said: “This is a slap in the face to British taxpayers who will have to subsidise low-skilled, low wage migrants.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The outcome will affect hundreds of thousands of migrant workers already in the UK, particularly in social care, who face uncertainty over their long-term status.
- The row exposes a split within the Labour government over immigration policy, with senior ministers publicly at odds.
- The high number of consultation responses (200,000) shows the intensity of public and political interest in the rules for permanent settlement.
Background
Indefinite leave to remain is the main route to permanent residence in the UK. It allows holders to live, work, study and claim benefits without time limits. The current qualifying period is five years. The government launched a consultation on extending that period, citing a need to control numbers after a period of record net migration.
Key Perspectives
Shabana Mahmood (Home Secretary): Concerned about the number of people who would become eligible for permanent residency after a period of very high net migration under the previous government.
Angela Rayner (Housing Secretary): Called the original proposals “un-British” because they sought to change the rules for people who had come to the UK in good faith.
Conservative Party spokesperson: Accused Mahmood of caving to pressure and of imposing costs on British taxpayers by allowing low-skilled, low-wage migrants to stay.
What to Watch
- The final announcement to Parliament in the coming week, and whether further exemptions emerge for other lower-paid workers.
- The government's response to the 200,000 consultation responses, particularly any analysis of who submitted them.
- Potential further internal Labour opposition or backbench rebellion if the revised rules still extend the wait for most migrants.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe home secretary is expected to ease the proposed wait for social care workers seeking permanent residency.BBC News: “But the BBC understands that social care workers already in the UK are now likely to be exempt from the longer wait.”
- SupportedThe BBC understands social care workers already in the UK are likely to be exempt from the proposed longer wait.BBC News: “But the BBC understands that social care workers already in the UK are now likely to be exempt from the longer wait.”
- SupportedShabana Mahmood is expected to announce her final decision on immigration rules next week.BBC News: “Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce her final decision on immigration rules for legal migrants next week.”
- SupportedThe proposed qualifying period for permanent settlement would rise from five years to 10, with some lower-paid migrants facing a 15-year wait.BBC News: “She had proposed to extend the wait for permanent settlement from the current five years to 10 with some lower-paid migrants facing a 15-year wait.”
- SupportedAngela Rayner described the proposals as “un-British” because they changed rules for people who came to the UK in good faith.BBC News: “Housing Secretary Angela Rayner described the proposals as "un-British" because they sought to change the rules for people who had come to the UK in good faith.”
- SupportedA Conservative spokesperson said Mahmood “has caved in to pressure from Angela Rayner and her open borders MPs and will shred her own plans to reform indefinite leave to remain”.BBC News: “In September, a Conservative spokesperson said: "Shabana Mahmood has caved in to pressure from Angela Rayner and her open borders MPs and will shred her own plans to reform indefinite leave to remain."”
- SupportedA Conservative spokesperson called the proposals “a slap in the face to British taxpayers” who would subsidise low-skilled, low-wage migrants.BBC News: “"This is a slap in the face to British taxpayers who will have to subsidise low-skilled, low wage migrants."”
- Partly supportedThe consultation on the reforms was a Home Office consultation and attracted 200,000 responses.BBC News: “The government's consultation on the proposed reforms has drawn 200,000 responses.”
- SupportedMost other workers are likely to need 10 years of living and working in the UK before qualifying, and that period can be reduced through community contributions or higher incomes.BBC News: “But as originally proposed, it is likely most other workers will have to live and work in the UK for 10 years before being eligible for permanent settlement. That can be reduced if they contribute to their local communities or have higher incomes.”
- SupportedMahmood was concerned about how many people would qualify for permanent residency after very high net migration under the previous government.BBC News: “The home secretary was concerned about the number of people who would be eligible for permanent residency after a period of very high net migration under the previous government.”
- SupportedPermanent residence, or indefinite leave to remain, lets a person live, work and study in the UK indefinitely and apply for benefits if eligible.BBC News: “Permanent residence, or indefinite leave to remain, gives a person the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like and apply for benefits if they are eligible.”