Refugee family reunion
IN SEPTEMBER 2025, THE GOVERNMENT ABRUPTLY ENDED A SCHEME FOR REFUGEES TO REUNITE WITH LOVED ONES IN THE UK
This means that across the UK, thousands of people who have been granted sanctuary here will be left in uncertainty and despair for many months - most likely until Spring 2026 - with their loved ones at risk.
In response, 158 local councillors from different political parties and across the UK came together, signing a joint statement rejecting the latest changes and calling on the Government to change course. The full statement is below.
As local councillors, we are proud to represent places that welcome newcomers and their families, and where people can put down roots and thrive together. We know that we all deserve the right to thrive in our communities, and build a life with the people we love. We place those values at the heart of our work as councillors.
Refugees are members of our communities in every part of the UK. So we share their shock and anger at the government’s decision to close down routes for their children and spouses to join them in building a life here. This makes no-one’s life better; instead, it tears families apart, all for the sake of a few headlines.
This decision puts people at grave risk, and cuts across all we do to build community cohesion. That’s why we are calling on the new Home Secretary to work with us to build communities of solidarity and hope, to support families, and to reopen routes for refugees to reunite with their loved ones.
The full list of signatories can be viewed here. The statement was sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood MP on 22 September 2025.