UK migrant families face giving up vital in-work benefits to avoid being ‘punished’

2026-02-20 - 16:03

Under Shabana Mahmood’s proposals, wait for settled status would double to 20 years if public funds used while in work Families claiming in-work benefits face giving them up and enduring hardship to avoid being “punished” under a planned government migration crackdown, experts have said. More than 200,000 people living legally in the UK are on the 10-year route to settled status, which requires legal migrants to renew 30-month visas four times – at a cost of £3,908.50 including healthcare costs per renewal – before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Continue reading...