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UK Refugee Policy 2026: New Routes for Afghan Women and Palestinians – But Key Exclusions Remain
In a significant shift in UK refugee policy, the Home Secretary reopened the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) for new referrals on 28 September 2026, with around a quarter of all referrals expected to be for Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees fleeing war and persecution. The announcement, made at the Labour Party conference, marked a partial reversal of the previous government's approach and was accompanied by plans for three new community sponsorship routes.
Yet the picture is more complex than the headlines suggest. While the UKRS reopening offers genuine protection to some of the world's most vulnerable people, separate Home Office guidance confirms that Palestinians in Gaza and UNRWA-registered refugees are excluded from the new asylum system. Meanwhile, recognition rates for Afghan asylum claims have plummeted, and the separate modern slavery protection introduced in October 2026 offers a different route for exploited workers.
This blog explains what has changed, who is eligible, who is excluded, and what it means for Afghan women and Palestinian refugees seeking protection in the UK.
1. The UK Resettlement Scheme Reopens
What Is the UKRS?
The UK Resettlement Scheme is an established immigration route that provides a pathway for vulnerable refugees in need of resettlement to come to the UK. It operates on a referral-only basis – refugees cannot apply directly. Instead, the Home Office uses partner agencies overseas to identify refugees who may be suitable for resettlement and refer cases that meet the eligibility criteria.
The scheme was created to provide a safe and legal route for people who have already been recognised as refugees by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and who cannot return to their country of origin or remain safely in the country where they first sought asylum.
What Changed on 28 September 2026?
On 28 September 2026, the Home Secretary announced that the UKRS had reopened to new referrals after being effectively suspended since December 2024. Key features of the reopening include:
Around one in four referrals will be for Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees
Referrals will be carried out in partnership with the UNHCR and the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)
The scheme will operate at a small scale initially, with numbers in the hundreds, growing to the low thousands as levels of illegal migration fall
A cap will be set each year
Those who arrive via the scheme will be placed on a 5-year path to permanent settlement – a route that is "by design, more generous than those who arrive by small boat or other illegal means"
First arrivals are expected before the end of 2026
The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said the changes would show there is "fairness in the immigration system" and that a balanced system would "unlock the inherent generosity of this country".
How Does the Referral Process Work?
Refugees cannot apply directly for the UKRS, and individuals are unable to apply online. Instead, referrals are made through established processes:
Afghan women and girls are identified by UNHCR staff overseas, who consider refugees in their registered caseload against the UKRS eligibility criteria
Palestinian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon are identified by humanitarian organisations and referred to IRAP, which assesses eligibility against UKRS criteria before referring cases to the Home Office for a final decision
The Home Office retains the authority to make the final decision on admissions to the UK, indicating that acceptance is not automatic.
2. Afghan Women and Girls: Prioritised – But Asylum
Approvals Have Plunged
The UKRS Route for Afghan Women
The reopening of the UKRS is a significant development for Afghan women and girls, who have been systematically erased from public life under Taliban rule. Women in Afghanistan are barred from education, excluded from work, stripped of autonomy, and effectively confined to their homes under threat of punishment.
Afghan women and girls are one of the priority groups for UKRS referrals, alongside Palestinian refugees. The scheme offers them a safe and legal route to the UK, with a five-year path to settlement – a far more secure outcome than the constant review of status that applies to those who arrive via irregular routes.
The Stark Contrast: Asylum Recognition Rates Have Collapsed
While the resettlement route offers hope to a small number of Afghan women, the broader picture for Afghan asylum seekers in the UK is deeply concerning. Recognition rates for Afghan asylum claims have fallen sharply from 96% to 34% since the current government took office, with at least 370 Afghan women and girls refused asylum in 2025 alone.
Amnesty International UK and the Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS) network have described this as a "moral and practical collapse in the UK's asylum decision-making". Karla McLaren, Amnesty UK's Head of Government Affairs, said:
"Afghanistan is one of the worst places in the world to be a woman. Women have been systematically erased from public life, denied education, autonomy, and even the most basic right to be seen or heard. Yet as the Taliban tightens its grip, the proportion of women granted safety here is falling. That is indefensible."
The briefing also noted that the UK is the UN Security Council penholder on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, yet current asylum policies "directly undermine these commitments" by denying protection to women fleeing gender-based persecution.
3. Palestinian Refugees: A Narrow and Contested Route
Who Is Eligible Under the UKRS?
The UKRS is now available to a small number of Palestinian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon who are in urgent need of resettlement. The scheme is intended to provide for "extremely vulnerable refugees whose lives have become unsustainable in Jordan or Lebanon and for whom resettlement has become the only option while return remains out of reach".
Referrals are made by humanitarian organisations in Jordan and Lebanon to IRAP, which considers the refugee's eligibility against the UKRS criteria before referring the case to the Home Office.
The Exclusion of Palestinians in Gaza and UNRWA-Registered
Refugees
However, there is a critical limitation. Despite the Home Office stating that one of the system's aims is to provide accommodation for vulnerable Palestinians fleeing the horrors in Gaza, Palestinians who have remained in Gaza do not meet the conditions of the proposed asylum routes.
According to British government sources, "asylum applications will only be considered for Palestinians who have left Gaza and obtained recognition of their refugee status," justified by the position that Palestinians should be outside their country of origin to qualify for refugee status under international frameworks.
Furthermore, UNRWA-registered refugees – those registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – are also excluded. The sources explained that these refugees "fall under the mandate of UNRWA, rather than the UN refugee agency," and therefore UNHCR "generally cannot determine asylum applications for individuals covered by UNRWA's mandate".
The IRAP Cooperation Arrangement
The Home Office is working to establish a cooperation arrangement with IRAP to "assess eligible [Palestinian] cases and support access to safe and legal routes," aiming to ensure that Palestinian refugees "can benefit from the UK's resettlement programme on an equal footing with other refugee groups".
The most important criteria for acceptance are understood to be "vulnerability and the need for protection," but the Home Office retains the authority to make the final decision.
Community Estimates
There is no official figure for the number of Palestinians who have arrived in Britain from Gaza since October 2023, but community data estimates the number to be around 2,000 people.
4. New Community Sponsorship Routes
Alongside the UKRS reopening, the government has announced three new safe and legal routes underpinned by community sponsorship, as set out in the Restoring Order and Control Statement in November 2025.
Route | Who Can Sponsor | Applications Open | First Arrivals Expected |
Community Sponsorship | Charities and non-profits | October 2026 | Autumn 2027 |
Student Sponsorship | Universities | October 2026 | Autumn 2027 |
Work Sponsorship | Companies | Spring 2027 | Later in 2027 |
All sponsors will provide accommodation, integration support, and help finding work, reducing pressure on local authorities. The government expects total arrivals across the UKRS and the three new routes to number in the hundreds at first, growing into the low thousands as levels of illegal migration fall.
5. The Broader Context: A System Designed to Deter?
The reopening of the UKRS has been welcomed by refugee charities. The International Rescue Committee UK said it welcomed the government's commitment to "a renewed focus on the UK Resettlement Scheme, prioritising Afghan women and girls and Palestinians". The British Red Cross also responded positively to the opening of the scheme.
However, experts and campaigners have raised significant concerns:
Numbers are too small – immigration experts and refugee charities have said the numbers eligible are "too small to deter asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats"
Recognition rates are falling – the collapse in Afghan asylum approval rates from 96% to 34% suggests a system designed to deter rather than protect
Status is precarious – plans to cut refugee status from five years to 30 months, and proposals that could delay settlement for up to 20 years, create prolonged insecurity
Family reunion is under threat – the briefing notes the ending of refugee family reunion, "closing a vital safe route used predominantly by women and children"
Amnesty International and GAPS have called on the UK government to reinstate refugee family reunion, reverse the cuts to refugee status duration, and strengthen protection rather than restrict it.
6. What This Means for Afghan Women and Palestinian
Refugees
Group | Route Available | Key Limitations |
Afghan women and girls | UKRS (priority referral group) | Small numbers; referral-only; recognition rates for asylum claims have collapsed |
Palestinian refugees in Jordan/Lebanon | UKRS via IRAP | Small numbers; urgent need required; Home Office retains final decision |
Palestinians in Gaza | Excluded | Must have left Gaza and obtained refugee status recognition to be considered |
UNRWA-registered refugees | Excluded | Fall under UNRWA mandate, not UNHCR; UNHCR cannot determine their claims |
Other nationalities | UKRS (eligibility not restricted by nationality) | Referral-only; small scale |
7. How Hextons Law Can Help
At Hextons Law, we understand the complexities of UK refugee and resettlement policy, and we are committed to helping vulnerable individuals and families navigate these challenging processes.
We can assist with:
Advising on UKRS eligibility – assessing whether you or a family member may be eligible for referral under the scheme
IRAP referral guidance – explaining the process for Palestinian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon
Asylum claims for Afghan women – representing women fleeing Taliban persecution, particularly where recognition rates have fallen
Family reunion applications – helping refugees in the UK bring family members to safety
Community sponsorship advice – supporting charities, universities, and companies seeking to become sponsors
Modern slavery protection – advising Skilled Worker visa holders who have been exploited and may be eligible to work for any employer
If you are an Afghan woman, a Palestinian refugee, or an organisation seeking to sponsor refugees, contact Hextons Law today for confidential, expert advice.
This article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration rules and policies are subject to change, and specific legal advice should always be sought for your particular circumstances.
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