Melanie Gower

This short briefing gives an overview of recent Government statements on the likely timing of a resumption of resettlement in the UK, and plans for the new UK Resettlement Scheme.

The use of contingency asylum accommodation - particularly, hotels and former military barracks - has recently increased. This has been due to issues with some asylum accommodation contracts and, more recently, measures to limit the risk of spreading Covid-19.

This briefing provides an overview of the progress of the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2019-21. The Bill has now completed its passage through Parliament.

This briefing addresses some of the issues frequently raised by constituents about asylum claims in the UK.

This briefing provides background to changes to UK visa requirements affecting non-British family members of British citizens living in the UK, which the Government plans will take effect from late March 2022. It also summarises campaigners' calls for a change of policy, and related debates during the passage of the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2019-21.

A Westminster Hall Debate on e-petition 321862 relating to immigration is scheduled for Monday 19 October 2020. The debate will be opened by Tom Hunt MP.

There will be a backbench business debate on No Recourse to Public Funds on Thursday, 8 October 2020. Members leading the debate are Stephen Timms MP, David Simmonds MP and Chris Stephens MP.

This Commons Library briefing paper discusses the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities and provides related statistical and policy analysis.

The Government is reviewing its policy on restricting asylum seekers' rights to work. The current position is that people seeking asylum can only apply for permission to work if they have been waiting for an initial decision on their asylum claim for over 12 months. Those who are given permission can only do skilled jobs on the Shortage Occupation List.

Efforts by the Home Office to remedy the injustices suffered by people caught up in the Windrush scandal are ongoing. The Windrush compensation scheme is operational, and legislation underpinning the scheme received Royal Assent in June 2020. But some stakeholders remain dissatisfied with aspects of the Home Office's response to the scandal, for example citing ongoing delays in processing cases and applications for compensation.

Most non-EEA nationals applying for temporary leave to remain in the UK must pay an 'Immigration Health Surcharge' (IHS) to the Home Office, in addition to the immigration application fee. The Government has a manifesto commitment to increase the charge and extend it to EEA nationals after the Brexit transition period. The charge, and the proposed increases, have generated some controversy, particularly against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following a recent change of policy, the Government now intends to exempt NHS and care workers from the IHS in the future, although it has not yet confirmed when this will take effect.

The tables in this paper provide a summary of the UK and EU positions in the future relationship negotiations, based on their proposed draft treaty texts and other publicly available statements