Immigration Rights

The UK government has proposed significant reforms to the way migrants qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), introducing a new “Earned Settlement” model that could substantially extend the time required to secure settlement in the UK. This FAQ explains what Earned Settlement is, how it may work in practice, who is likely to be affected, […]

A new report, Ethnic Minority EU Citizens in the UK (February 2026), highlights the barriers racialised EU citizens are experiencing in post-Brexit Britain. With funding from the EU Delegation the report is a result of a collaboration between academics and organisations working with migrants from racialised communities across the UK navigating post-Brexit systems. Here, we run through […]

In November 2025, the UK Government published A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, a consultation setting out significant reforms to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also referred to as settlement. Building on the May 2025 Immigration White Paper, the consultation proposes an “earned settlement” model that would extend qualifying periods, introduce income thresholds and penalties linked […]

This article covers how a digital-only immigration system increases risk for marginalised communities.  Since the Home Office introduced the digital immigration status and rolled out the eVisa, we have supported people navigating the new digital-only immigration system.  This shift did not begin with eVisas. The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) was the first large-scale fully digital […]

In 2026, the British high street is still in transition. Across the UK, town centres continue to face rising costs, empty units, and the long aftershocks of the pandemic. Many national retail chains have not returned, and local authorities remain under pressure. Yet alongside this uncertainty, another story has been taking shape, one that points […]

In July 2025, important and consequential changes to the UK’s immigration system came into effect with direct implications for international workers on UK work visas and the organisations that employ them.  For NHS bodies, social care providers and independent health and care services, these changes have fundamentally altered how workforce planning, recruitment and retention must be approached. At […]

UK immigration law changed significantly in 2025. Through our casework and partnerships, Seraphus saw the real impact of these changes on employers, workers, families and people seeking asylum. From helping employers understand higher salary thresholds to employ workers, to supporting asylum seekers with family reunion, and advising people ahead of major changes to settlement rules, […]

Since the launch of the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) in 2019, civil society organisations across the UK have played a vital role in ensuring that vulnerable EU citizens and their family members are able to secure their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. Through Home Office grant funding, these organisations have provided essential legal advice and […]

Over the past decade, the UK has moved towards a digital-only system for immigration statuses, replacing physical documents with eVisas and online records. This system is intended to make it easier to prove the right to work, rent, study, and access services in the UK. Every person with an immigration status is expected to maintain an online […]

For years, Denmark has been held up across Europe as the archetype of a tough, deterrent-based asylum regime. It is the model now explicitly influencing the UK’s direction of travel. To understand what the UK’s new asylum policy aims to achieve, and the risks embedded within it, we need to understand what Denmark has done and what […]

On the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), we stand with almost 300 other organisations and groups in the UK in support of the ECHR, and we call on politicians and government to end the scapegoating of human rights.  At Seraphus we are not just proud to join all these hundreds of organisations […]

The UK has a legal and moral duty to provide safe and adequate accommodation to people seeking asylum. People who arrive in the UK in search of safety are often fleeing conflict, persecution or serious human rights abuses. While their claims are being decided, they depend entirely on the support and protection provided by the […]

Over 150 lawyers and refugee organisations recently signed a public statement warning of increasing far-right intimidation directed at those providing legal support to migrants. But such intimidation doesn’t always involve shouting on street corners. It can also come from the government, politicians, and the media, quietly, strategically, and with long-term consequences. Over recent weeks, we’ve seen […]

What is ILR? Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a form of permanent immigration status in the UK. It allows someone to live, work and study in the UK without time restrictions, and it is often the last step before applying for British citizenship. Many migrants work towards ILR after years of living in the […]