A call for compassion in the asylum systems

Today, I do not want to just speak about policy. I want to speak about people who have already lost so much and don't know how they are going to rebuild their lives.

People come to this country, not for comfort, but for safety. They are simply asking for a chance to live, to work and to belong. Existing and proposed changes to the trafficking, immigration and asylum systems risk taking even that small hope away.

We must ask ourselves what happens to a person who is already fragile and traumatised, what happens when we place them into deeper uncertainty? And what happens when the system that is meant to protect them becomes another source of fear? 

These policies may look like administrative decisions on paper but in real life they translate into anxiety, sleepless nights and silent suffering. This affects their mental health, their confidence, and even their ability to plan for the future. 

Recent changes mean that refugees who now apply for asylum may only receive permission to stay for 2.5 instead of five years. After those 30 months, they may have to go through the process all over again. On paper, it may sound like a simple policy change but the reality means living with constant uncertainty. 

Imagine living your life in 2.5 years blocks. Not knowing if you will be allowed to stay, not knowing if you can build a future and not knowing if the small stability you have will be taken away. That is not living, that is not surviving. Because surviving without hope slowly breaks a person. 

Let’s talk about the ‘earned settlement’ proposals where most people will need to wait 10, 15 or even 20 years, instead of five before they can permanently settle in the UK. Ten years of not fully knowing where you stand. Ten years of having to prove yourself again and again. Ten years of wondering if the place you now call home truly sees you as someone who belongs. 

How can someone fully settle into society when they never feel secure?

We also see that the NRM is making decisions on trafficking cases more quickly, which we appreciate. However, there are huge concerns about decision quality. Guaranteed support ends quickly after a conclusive decision. People need time to recover from trauma and explain their experiences properly. If support is removed too soon; they may lose safe housing, financial help and specialist support before they are ready to move on. This leaves them at risk of homelessness, poor mental health and further exploitation.

Speed should never come before fairness.

At the same time, there are plans to tighten the right to family and private life. For many families this is not just legal language; it can mean years of separation from loved ones.

We must remember that behind every application there is a story. Behind every case number there is a life: a mother trying to protect her children, a father trying to rebuild his dignity, a young person trying to find purpose again. This is not just policy failure, it is a human cost.

These are not burdens. These are people who want to contribute, give and stand on their own feet. Yet more and more, the system is moving towards temporary status, repeated renewals, constant checks and fewer clear paths to stability. We cannot ignore the reality that prolonged uncertainty and isolation can lead to serious emotional distress.

Living in fear and instability leaves people feeling hopeless. We must never build a system that pushes people to the edge of despair. A country has the right to protect its borders. Most people understand that. But we should never create a system that protects its borders by hurting vulnerable human beings. 

So, let us choose compassion over complexity, stability over uncertainty and humanity over hardship. Let us build an asylum system that gives people not just permission to stay but a real chance to live, to contribute and to truly belong.

Written by the Changemakers

The changemakers are ATLEU’s lived experience campaigners, former and current clients of ATLEU who have survived trafficking and exploitation. They bravely use their experiences to drive change, inform ATLEU’s work and fight for greater access to support, protection and justice for other survivors.

Find out more about our lived experience experts, the ATLEU Changemakers.