In a statement made to Parliament on Monday (02 November 2026), the Government outlined its intention to proceed with major changes to indefinite leave to remain rules, introducing a system of ‘earned settlement’. The changes mean many migrants will face a significantly longer wait before they can achieve settlement in the UK, with the standard qualifying period increasing from 5 to 10 years.
Those who claim welfare support will be penalised, and nobody who has claimed welfare support within the last 5 years will be able to settle. Refugees are particularly harshly affected, with most now facing a 20-year qualifying period, and those who arrive by small boat subject to 30 years. The new rules for refugees are more punitive than those originally proposed in the consultation.
Rick Henderson, CEO of Homeless Link, said:
“We oppose the Government’s decision to press ahead with the majority of its proposals for introducing a system of ‘earned settlement’. As we made clear in our consultation response, these proposals are highly likely to increase levels of homelessness and destitution. The new even stricter rules for refugees will exacerbate this.
“Homelessness affects households across the country, but non-UK nationals are more vulnerable to homelessness than people with UK citizenship, and those with restricted or No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and/or unsettled immigration status even more so. Long, complex and expensive settlement pathways cause financial hardship, debt and housing insecurity. Increasing the amount of time before these people can achieve settlement will increase the amount of time that a significant number of people are at a heightened risk of homelessness.
“A system favouring people able to earn high incomes will discriminate against those most at risk of, or likely to have experienced, homelessness. The changes will also disincentivise people from claiming welfare support they are entitled to, which will trap people in destitution for longer.
“We are particularly alarmed by press reports that the Home Office has refused to reveal the expected impact of these and other immigration changes on levels of homelessness. These actions directly undermine the cross-departmental ambitions of the National Plan to End Homelessness, and will make the Prime Minister’s stated ambitions on ending homelessness far harder to achieve. The Government must acknowledge that we cannot end homelessness without stopping our asylum and immigration systems from causing homelessness.”
