Legal Matters

Scotland

New plans outlined by the Home Secretary will see migrants barred from claiming benefits until they have been granted British citizenship. Shabana Mahmood said: "Migration will always be a vital part of Britain’s story. But the scale of arrivals in recent years has been unprecedented. To settle in this country forever is not a right, but a privilege, and it must be earned." Migrants are currently eligible for benefits as soon as they gain settled status – which takes about five years – but the new rules mean migrants will face a wait of up to 30 years to be granted settled status, after which time they will have to apply for citizenship before they can claim benefits. This could take another one to three years. However, people earning more than £125,140 and those on global talent and innovator founder visas will be able to settle after three years, while people earning more than £50,270 will have a five-year path. "I am replacing a broken immigration system with one that prioritises contribution, integration and respect for the British sense of fair play," Mahmood explained. The plans were opposed by the Refugee Council, which said they "would risk trapping people who have fled war and persecution in three decades of instability and stress at the very moment they need certainty to rebuild their lives."