British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has vowed to "restore order" to the asylum system in the United Kingdom through "radical changes" inspired by the Danish approach, PA media and DPA reported.
Mahmood will present a number of reforms in this area to the House of Commons (the lower house of the British parliament) on Monday, which will make the Island less attractive to illegal migrants and facilitate the procedures for their deportation.
The British Home Office describes the measures to tighten control over asylum as the most extensive such reform in modern history. According to the department, thanks to the changes, Britain will no longer be an international outsider in this area. The UK Home Office also says its new offers to asylum seekers are more generous than those of its closest neighbours on the continent, where controls are being tightened.
Mahmoud intends to scrap the legal obligation to provide asylum seekers with support, introduced in 2005 under EU law. This means that asylum seekers will no longer be guaranteed housing and weekly benefits. People who are eligible to work in the UK and can support themselves but are unable to do so could also be deprived of housing and social benefits.
"This country has a proud tradition of taking in people fleeing danger, but our generosity is attracting illegal migrants from across the Channel. The speed and scale of migration is putting enormous pressure on communities," Mahmoud said. "Next week will see the most radical changes to our asylum system for a generation. We will restore order and control to our borders," the Home Secretary added.
Ministers have learned lessons from Denmark's tough approach to asylum, which has removed incentives to attract people to the country and increased deportations of illegal immigrants. Senior Home Office officials were sent to Copenhagen earlier this year to learn about Danish asylum policy. Denmark has reduced the number of asylum applications to its lowest level in 40 years and successfully expels 95% of rejected asylum seekers. At the same time, it remains a party to the European Convention on Human Rights.
The international treaty has angered some on the British right, who say it hinders London's efforts to deport illegal immigrants.
Mahmoud will announce that refugee status will become temporary and subject to regular review. Refugees will be repatriated as soon as their home countries are deemed safe.
Under current rules, people granted refugee status can enjoy it for five years, after which they can apply for permanent residence and embark on the path to British citizenship.