Tony Vaughan KC MP Hosts Westminster Hall Debate on Indefinite Leave to Remain
RAMP Principal Tony Vaughan KC MP hosted a Westminster Hall Debate hosted on Indefinite Leave to Remain following e-petition 727372 and e-petition 746363 .
The petitions were submitted in response to an announcement made by the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, in November 2025. She announced plans to replace automatic settlement with an Earned Settlement Model, which doubles the qualifying period to 10 years and requires applicants to meet criteria such as higher English proficiency, a clean criminal record, and sustained economic contribution.
Both petitions support keeping the 5-year route to settlement, noting that retrospective rule changes would affect visa holders who moved under existing rules, impacting their plans, families, and finances. Petition 746363 also proposes limiting benefits for new ILR holders.
In the debate, Vaughan warned that proposed settlement changes could worsen staff shortages in health and social care and increase the risk of worker exploitation and modern-day slavery. He highlighted that extending the qualifying period to up to 15 years would trap lower-paid care workers in prolonged insecurity, limit their ability to change roles or progress, and make the UK a less competitive destination compared with countries offering clearer and faster routes to permanent status.
He also discussed the impact of the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) policy, highlighting concerns that it may leave some migrant families financially vulnerable and potentially affect integration outcomes. He suggested that prolonged periods of limited access to support could create instability for households. and that extended insecurity may have broader implications for social cohesion and long-term community stability.
He also discussed the impact of the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) policy, noting concerns that it can leave migrant families financially vulnerable, affect integration, and that prolonged insecurity may have wider implications for social cohesion. (4) pic.twitter.com/qpcLworxRg
— RAMP (Refugee, Asylum and Migration Policy) (@RAMPproject) February 3, 2026
Other parliamentarians at the debate referred to examples from their constituencies also raising concerns about retrospectivity, noting that migrants planned their lives around a 5-year settlement route and that mid-way rule changes affect fairness, trust, and credibility.
In response, the Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp, said the Government plans to extend the settlement qualifying period to 10 years through an earned settlement model that addresses pressures on housing and public services. He added that transitional arrangements, access to benefits, and exemptions for certain groups are under consultation.