The United Kingdom has announced the suspension of its refugee family reunion route, a scheme that allowed families of refugees already in the country to apply to join their relatives, as the government seeks to curb irregular migration.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament on Monday that new applications to the programme were being “temporarily” halted, citing pressures on local authorities and risks posed by criminal gangs exploiting the route.
“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,” Cooper said.
According to Home Office data, nearly 21,000 family reunion visas were issued in the year to June 2025, mostly to women and children. Over the same period, more than 111,000 people applied for asylum in the UK — the highest number since records began in 2001.
The move comes as Labour grapples with rising migrant arrivals, particularly by small boats across the English Channel, a situation that has intensified public debate and boosted support for the anti-immigration Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage.
Cooper said the suspension precedes a wider reform package expected later this year, which may include “contribution requirements” for family members and longer waiting periods before newly recognised refugees can apply for reunification. In the meantime, refugees will be subject to the same family migration rules as other applicants.
More than 50,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since Labour leader Keir Starmer became prime minister in July 2024. The UK has also begun detaining individuals under a new “one-in, one-out” agreement with France, allowing Britain to return some Channel-crossing migrants in exchange for accepting an equal number of applicants from France via an online platform.
“We expect the first returns to begin later this month,” Cooper told lawmakers, adding that applications for the reciprocal legal route have already opened and are under review with “strict security checks.”
Immigration remains the top public concern in Britain, ahead of the economy and the National Health Service, according to recent surveys.
