Concerns Raised Around UK Government’s Latest Immigration Proposals
02 March 2026
The Children’s Law Centre and South Tyrone Empowerment Programme (STEP) have jointly responded to the UK Government’s consultation on A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, raising serious concerns about the impact of the proposals on children and families.
In responding, the organisations describe the government’s proposals as “wrong, harmful and dangerous” and call for them to be withdrawn in their entirety.
CLC and STEP have warned that the proposals fail to meaningfully consider the UK’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The principle that the best interests of the child must be a primary consideration is not reflected in measures that would:
- Lengthen and prolong routes to settlement for many families, potentially across the entirety of a child’s childhood;
- Introduce or expand “no recourse to public funds” conditions, increasing child poverty and homelessness;
- Restrict family reunion routes;
- Apply changes retrospectively, penalising families for having lawfully accessed support; and
- Create additional barriers to children registering as British citizens.
Deirdre McAliskey, Policy and Engagement Manager at STEP said: “We firmly reject the concept of ‘earned settlement’. Tying settlement to income levels, volunteering requirements or past use of public funds risks creating a discriminatory, two-tier system that disproportionately harms children from low-income households, single-parent families and those with insecure immigration status.
“Children have no control over their family’s income, migration journey or immigration applications, yet would bear the long-term consequences of extended insecurity and restricted access to support.
“Settlement is not a reward to be earned but a necessary foundation for safety, stability and full participation in society.”
Fergal McFerran, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the Children’s Law Centre said: “Longer and more complex routes to settlement such as those proposed by the UK Government will increase the risk of destitution, homelessness and exploitation.
“We urge the government to abandon the current proposals and replace them with fair and safe processes that uphold children’s rights and provide clear, timely routes to settlement. Fairness must mean protecting children from poverty, insecurity and discrimination – not embedding those risks into law.
“Children seeking safety in the UK deserve stability and dignity, not a childhood defined by uncertainty.”