In the United Kingdom, immigration has rocketed to the top of the political and public agenda, with new polling and government reforms sparking fierce debate across the country. As Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledges to confront Nigel Farage and the growing influence of Reform UK, the government’s latest efforts to tighten immigration rules have drawn both support and sharp criticism, revealing deep divisions in British society.
On February 12, 2026, Starmer made it clear that his focus would be outward, targeting Farage and Reform UK rather than getting mired in internal Labour Party squabbles. According to reporting from Bloomberg, Starmer’s strategy is to address the widespread public concern about immigration, which has surged since net inflows neared one million people per year in the aftermath of the pandemic. To spearhead this effort, he installed Shabana Mahmood as home secretary in September 2025, tasking her with the mandate to enforce stricter immigration policies.
Mahmood’s flagship proposal doubles the required period legal migrants must spend in the UK before they can apply for permanent residency—from five to ten years. But that’s not all. Under her leadership, a range of new restrictions on asylum-seekers have also been introduced, as outlined in the government’s November 2025 policy paper, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: A statement on earned settlement. These moves are part of a broader government pledge to overhaul the indefinite leave to remain system and crack down on illegal migration.
It’s a response to a public mood that’s hard to ignore. A worldwide poll conducted by Gallup and reported by The Independent found that 21 percent of Britons now name immigration as their top concern—the highest level recorded among 107 countries surveyed. By comparison, the Netherlands and Cyprus, which followed in the rankings, saw just 13 percent of respondents cite immigration as their main issue. The median across all countries was a mere 1 percent.
Interestingly, the UK’s foreign-born population—about 17 percent—is similar to that of the US (15 percent), Norway (18 percent), and the Netherlands (16 percent). Yet, concern about immigration is considerably higher in Britain than in these other nations. The poll suggests that the prominence of immigration in recent news coverage, coupled with limited access to reliable data, has been stoking anxiety. Political affiliations also play a role: nearly half (48 percent) of Reform UK supporters see immigration as the UK’s biggest problem, which is double the percentage among supporters of any other major European party. Conservative Party supporters also show heightened concern at 23 percent, while Labour supporters register at 16 percent—still higher than most left-of-center parties elsewhere in Europe.
Demographics matter, too. Adults aged 55 and over, individuals with less education, and those "getting by" on their household income are all more likely to prioritize immigration as a concern. In Britain, worries about immigration are statistically tied with concerns about the economy—both at 23 percent—an unusual situation not mirrored in other countries surveyed, where economic issues typically dominate.
But what’s driving these worries? According to December 2025 research from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, a lack of clear data on migration is leaving the public "in the dark" about the true impact of immigration. The government, the research found, does not know how many people are in the country unauthorized, nor does it have adequate information about the outcomes for asylum seekers before or after their first claim. There’s also scant data on how many immigration cases are affected by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
This information vacuum, warns Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, is dangerous. As he told The Independent on February 12, 2026: "The public debate on migration is full of politically motivated rhetoric, and almost entirely devoid of facts. It’s a dangerous situation that is undoubtedly inflaming hate and bolstering far-right actors."
The government’s new proposals are controversial, to say the least. Amnesty International UK has condemned the reforms as "cruel," "inefficient," and "costly." The November 2025 policy paper sets out a range of measures that would make permanent residency less accessible. For most migrants, the time required before applying for permanent residence would increase, though exceptions would be made for those with high English proficiency, high earners, senior public servants, or those with extensive volunteering backgrounds. Conversely, those who arrive on visitor visas, breach immigration rules, or have received public funds would see their wait extended even further. Permanent residency would be denied entirely to anyone with a criminal conviction, outstanding litigation, or debts to the NHS, tax authorities, or other government agencies.
Amnesty warns that these changes could result in more children being born in the UK without British citizenship, since their parents—though long-time residents—may not qualify as citizens or permanent residents. While children growing up in the UK may be entitled to citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981, Amnesty points out that this right is not well understood and has become harder to claim due to a series of bureaucratic hurdles.
The human costs, Amnesty argues, are significant. The reforms are expected to undermine integration and make life far more uncertain for many migrants, who will face repeated fees for permission to stay and higher health charges. The organization warns, "At best, people will be made less welcome and more marginalised. At worst, people will be made more at risk of destitution, homelessness, ill-health, and exploitation."
There are also concerns about the broader social and legal implications. Amnesty states that the proposals "are likely to increase pressure on the European Convention on Human Rights by not satisfying those who are antagonistic to both that Convention and migrant rights, while increasing reliance on human rights laws by migrant people seeking to protect themselves against the proposals’ worst consequences." The group fears that growing hostility toward migrants, encouraged by government rhetoric, could further threaten the UK’s commitment to the ECHR and fuel xenophobia and racism.
"The proposals are highly likely to reward and fuel xenophobia and racism, which are a direct response to the government’s hostility towards migrant people," Amnesty asserts. "Of course, this is the exact opposite of what any responsible government should be doing. It risks encouraging even more demand for awful policies, which ultimately, only penalise and demonise migrants even further."
All this comes as the government faces mounting pressure from multiple directions. Reform UK and its supporters demand tougher measures, while human rights organizations and parts of the public warn of the risks of exclusion and marginalization. Meanwhile, the lack of reliable data continues to muddy the waters, making it difficult for citizens to make informed judgments about the real impact of immigration.
As Britain grapples with these thorny issues, it’s clear that the debate over immigration is far from settled. The choices made in the coming months will shape not only the lives of migrants and their families but also the character of British society itself.