The changes, associated with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood following her reappointment by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, would alter when some migrants can qualify for benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions. The proposals have prompted debate over the relationship between immigration status and access to public support.
The plans follow a wider discussion within the government about the conditions attached to indefinite leave to remain, also known as ILR. According to reports in The Times, around 1.6 million migrants could be exempted from some of the proposed reforms, which could otherwise extend the period before some people gain permanent residency rights.
Proposed Changes Would Delay Access to Welfare Support after ILR
At present, people with ILR can access a range of welfare support, including housing support, Universal Credit, disability payments, council tax reduction, tax credits and state pension credits.
Under the proposals linked to Ms Mahmood’s immigration reforms, migrants who receive leave to remain would face a further waiting period before they could claim benefits. A source quoted by The Times said the approach would allow people to obtain ILR after five years while preventing access to benefits until a further three or four years had passed.
According to The Times, the issue was focused on benefits rather than the ability to remain in the country permanently. They said that “most people don’t come here so they can claim benefits”, while adding that allowing claims immediately after receiving ILR had become politically damaging.
The proposed changes come after Ms Mahmood faced criticism over stricter immigration measures. Following her reappointment as Home Secretary in Mr Burnham’s reshuffle, the reforms are expected to continue moving forward, according to The Times.
Government Faces Pressure over the Future of the Reforms
The proposals have also drawn attention from opposition figures, who have questioned whether the government will maintain the original approach. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said on Times Radio that the issue would be an early test for Andy Burnham and Shabana Mahmood. He said the government would need to decide whether to maintain the proposals announced several months earlier or make changes to them.
“If they table those proposals unamended, undiluted, you know, we would support them,” Mr Philp said, according to his comments reported by Times Radio. He argued that changes to the plans could allow people to gain permanent rights to stay after five years, which he linked to access to benefits.
The debate centres on whether obtaining ILR should automatically provide access to the same welfare rights currently available to those with that status. The government’s proposals would create a distinction between permanent residency and eligibility for certain payments.
According to The Times, the government has been considering a compromise that would exempt a large number of migrants from parts of the reforms while keeping restrictions on benefit access after gaining ILR. The final shape of the policy will depend on how the proposals progress following Ms Mahmood’s return to the Home Office.
