Written evidence submitted by Belong (RTS3185)

About Belong

Belong is a national organisation which works for a more connected and less divided society. Based in Manchester, but working across the UK, we undertake research and work with councils and their partner organisations to develop policy and practice responses to social cohesion challenges. Since the 2024 riots, we have worked with 15 local authorities undertaking public engagement, providing training and support or supporting local authorities develop social cohesion strategies. Belong has published two reports ‘After the Riots:

Building the foundations for social cohesion’ (2024) and the State of Us: Community Strength and Cohesion in the UK (2025, with British Future).             

Our evidence draws from our research and local authority programmes of work. It focuses on the impacts of the proposed changes to settlement policy on integration and social cohesion. 

What is the potential impact of changes to pathways to settlement in relation to personal and social impact? What potential effect could the changes to eligibility for settlement have on integration?

Evidence from Belong’s State of Us research shows that asylum is highly salient issue of public concern and factor that has contributed to community tension in some areas. Some 42% of respondents in the State of Us nationally representative survey ranked asylum as having the most negative impacts on community relations in the areas where they live and in the UK generally. Evidence from focus groups and from Belong’s community engagement suggests these concerns focus on (i) a visible lack of border control in the channel, (ii) security and safety (iii) perceptions about fairness in relation to asylum accommodation and access to public services. These concerns are exacerbated by a lack of integration and online debate.

Noting the above findings, Belong believes that restoring public confidence in the asylum system must be a central aim of asylum and immigration policy. We also believe that asylum and immigration policy should actively support and incentivise integration and social cohesion, rather than undermine it. Changes to settlement policy should be tested against these two aims of restoring public confidence in the asylum system and supporting integration and social cohesion.

Protection ‘Work and Study’ visa route: Belong welcomes the Government’s proposal to incentivise work through the proposed protection ‘Work and Study’ visa route that refugees will be able to opt into. This route will reduce refugees’ period to obtaining settlement from the proposed 20 years. Work is an important driver of both economic and social integration. However, we are concerned that relatively few refugees will benefit from this shortened route to citizenship as they face significant labour market barriers and consequently high levels of unemployment (Figure One).

Evidence from Belong’s local authority-based work also shows a real shortage of English language support and intensive employment support programmes to help refugees find and stay in work. Belong therefore recommends that the introduction of the Protection of Work and Study visa route is also accompanied by:

         National audits of English language ESOL provision in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

• Action by the Department of Education, devolved administration and combined authorities to fill gaps in ESOL provision.
• More intensive employment support for refugees who may lack knowledge of the UK labour market and UK work experience as well as facing language barriers.
• Local strategies to increase the economic and social integration of refugees. Increasing refugee and migrant integration should be an explicit aim of local authority social cohesion strategies.

Source: Home Office Refugee Outcome data, November 2025

Shorter period of initial leave for refugees (30 months) and longer path to settlement (20 years without concessions).  Drawing on the evidence based of Belong’s work and the work of our network members, we are aware that this is likely to impact refugees’ wellbeing, integration and employability. Under these proposals, refugees may have to extend their temporary leave to remain eight times over a period of 20 years before they can apply for permanent settlement. 

In the 1990s temporary protection regimes were common in most European countries. In the UK at this time many asylum claims resulted in grants of temporary subsidiary protection (Exceptional Leave to Remain) rather than UN Convention Refugee Status. Evidence from this period suggests that temporary protection regimes can limit refugees’ ability to plan for the future and fully commit to integration[1] [2] . More recent evidence from Sweden supports this earlier research and suggests that employers may be wary of offering work to refugees with temporary protection[3]. At the same time, there is little to suggest that this change would reduce channel migration or otherwise increase public confidence in the asylum system. In light of this evidence, we would urge the Government to reconsider proceeding with this change.

Kelly Fowler, Chief Executive, Belong – The Cohesion and Integration Network.

Manchester, November 2025.