Key facts
- Over 16,000 refugees have been unable to reunite with family in the UK since September.
- The government suspended the refugee family reunion route, which allowed refugees to bring spouses and children under 18.
- The Refugee Council estimates 9,273 children and 5,835 women are among those barred from applying.
- New safe and legal routes are being introduced but have had limited impact so far.
- The Home Office plans to implement stricter criteria for family reunion applications.
The UK's refugee family reunion route, which allowed individuals granted refugee status to bring immediate family members to the UK, has been suspended since September, leaving an estimated 16,300 people unable to reunite with loved ones. The Refugee Council calculated this figure using Home Office data, noting that nine out of ten eligible for reunion are women and children, including approximately 9,273 children and 5,835 women. This suspension forces refugees into dangerous situations or reliance on people-smugglers, as other safe and legal routes have seen a significant decline in arrivals. While new schemes like community sponsorship have been introduced, their impact has been minimal, bringing only a small number of individuals to the UK over the past decade. One Iranian refugee shared her anguish over her husband being trapped in Iran due to the ban, calling the situation a violation of human rights. The Refugee Council urges the government to reinstate the family reunion pathway and expand new safe routes, emphasizing that safe and legal pathways save lives and prevent desperate journeys. A Home Office spokesperson stated that reforms will introduce stricter criteria for family reunion, moving away from an automatic process, and that new safe and legal routes will begin rolling out in the autumn.