Temporary Refugee Protection Rules Now in Force
The Home Office has confirmed that the UK has moved away from the standard five-year grant of refugee leave for new asylum claims.
With effect from 2 March 2026, adults and accompanied children who claim asylum from that date, and who are subsequently granted protection, will receive a 30-month temporary period of protection.
The new rules replace the previous five-year period with a time-limited grant followed by review before further leave is issued.
1. What has changed and what has not
Under the previous rules, a grant of refugee status typically came with five years’ limited leave to remain, followed by the option to apply for settlement, subject to the usual eligibility and suitability checks.
The new approach involves a shorter grant at the outset. The Home Office position is that, at the end of the 30-month period, the case will be reviewed. If the individual continues to need international protection, then their status will be renewed. Where the Home Office considers the country of origin is now safe, the Home Office may move to cease refugee status and refuse further leave, subject to appeal or human rights claims.
Separate proposals to extend settlement qualifying periods, including reporting that refugees may face a much longer wait for permanent residence, are being treated as later-stage reforms that would require legislation.
2. Who is in scope
The changes will affect adults and accompanied children claiming asylum from 2 March 2026. The review model then applies at the end of each 30-month period, if protection has been granted.
Unaccompanied children will continue to be granted 5 years’ leave. The Government says it is considering the longer-term policy approach for this group, with further detail to follow.
Changes are not expected to be applied retrospectively, meaning they do not apply to people who applied before 2 March 2026.
Refugees with valid leave continue to have the right to work.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
For people granted refugee status after 2 March 2026, the change means less certainty, sooner. Instead of receiving five years’ leave before needing to think seriously about settlement, you will now receive 30 months’ protection and then face a formal review. At that point, the Home Office will look again at whether you still need protection in the UK.
If officials believe conditions in your home country have improved enough to make return safe, they may refuse to extend your leave and begin steps towards removal. If they accept that the risk remains, your protection will be renewed and the cycle continues.
It also means you may need to engage with evidence about your country of origin again far sooner than expected.
Detailed Home Office guidance should follow in the coming weeks setting out how 30-month reviews will operate in practice, what evidence may be requested and what rights of challenge apply if protection is not renewed.
