Politics · United Kingdom · 6 hrs ago
UK opens three sponsorship routes for refugees in India and six other countries
The UK has announced three new routes for refugee resettlement for people who have sought protection in India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan or Uganda.
Eligible applicants must be outside their country of nationality, meet the UNHCR definition of a refugee and have registered with the UNHCR or relevant authorities in one of those countries before October 1.
Charities, employers and universities can sponsor refugees through community, work and study routes, respectively.
Once resettled, refugees will have the right to work, study and receive welfare benefits, with a five-year path to permanent resettlement.
Sponsors must pay for and provide accommodation, which the UK government says could reduce spending on asylum hotels.
Applications are open for community and study sponsors, while applications for the work route are due to open in spring 2027; the first arrivals are expected in autumn 2027.
The Conservatives and Reform UK have said they would close the scheme if they come to power.
The UK has announced three sponsorship routes for refugees in India and six other countries to resettle in Britain.
The routes let UK charities, employers and universities sponsor refugees.
Eligible applicants must be outside their country of nationality and verified as refugees by the UNHCR.
The first arrivals are expected in autumn 2027.
Reform UK and the Conservatives have said they would shut the scheme if they come to power.
- Who
- Refugees in India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan and Uganda may be eligible.
- What
- The UK has announced three routes for sponsorship by charities, employers and universities.
- When
- The scheme was announced on October 30, 2026; first arrivals are expected in autumn 2027.
- Where
- The routes are for refugees in seven countries, including India, to resettle in the UK.
- Why
- The UK says the routes offer safe and legal ways to come to Britain; the announcement also aims to discourage asylum-seekers from arriving by lorry or small boat.
UK government
Reform UK and the Conservatives
Purpose of the scheme
UK government
The routes offer refugees safe and legal ways to resettle in the UK.
Reform UK and the Conservatives
Both parties have vowed to shut the scheme if they come to power.
New routes for asylum claimants
UK government
The government has announced three sponsorship routes.
Reform UK and the Conservatives
Chris Philp said the UK should not create new routes for asylum claimants until illegal migration is stopped.
Eligible refugees must have registered with the UNHCR or relevant authorities in one of the seven countries.
The UK announced the three sponsorship routes.
Applications under the refugee work route are due to open.
The first arrivals are expected.
- Eligible countries
- India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan and Uganda
- Sponsorship routes
- Community sponsorship, refugee work and refugee study
- Eligibility
- Applicants must be outside their country of nationality and verified by the UNHCR as refugees
- Registration deadline
- Before October 1
- First arrivals
- Expected in autumn 2027
What people are saying
we should not be creating new routes into the UK for asylum claimants