The APPG on Refugees is today launching a significant new report urging the UK Government to improve safe and legal routes for refugees, as part of a comprehensive response to the challenges of irregular migration.

The report, published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Refugees, which is co-chaired by Laura Kyrke-Smith MP and Lord Alf Dubs, highlights the urgent need for reform to reduce dangerous journeys and reaffirm the UK’s role as a global leader on refugee protection.

Amid high levels of global displacement and increasing political focus on Channel crossings, the report shows the life-saving potential of safe routes. Drawing on evidence from experts, refugees, and international policymakers, it outlines actionable recommendations to improve existing schemes and create new pathways for those fleeing conflict and persecution.

Laura Kyrke Smith MP, Labour MP and Co-Chair of the APPG on Refugees, said:

“The Government is rightly moving quickly to secure our borders and strengthen the asylum system, putting an end to ineffective and inhumane gimmicks like the Rwanda Plan.
This report proposes complementary measures to enable refugees fleeing conflict and persecution to enter the UK in a safe and legal way, while maintaining control of our borders.
Building on international best practice, the report’s proposals include strengthened family reunion and resettlement schemes, which could further reduce dangerous crossings and protect those who deserve our compassion.”

The inquiry included three evidence sessions from experts including representatives from the UNHCR, British Red Cross, and International Rescue Committee, as well as refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, and Sudan. Key findings include:

• Current safe and legal routes are inaccessible and inadequate, leaving many with no choice but to undertake dangerous journeys.

• Well-designed safe routes can reduce reliance on people smugglers, as shown by successful international examples such as the United States’ CHNV Parole programme and Switzerland’s Humanitarian visa.

• The UK has a vital opportunity to strengthen its leadership by reforming its approach to refugee protection.

Lord Alf Dubs, Labour Peer and Co-Chair of the APPG on Refugees, said:

“Safe routes save lives. This report makes it clear that, alongside enforcement measures, the Government must prioritise creating pathways that give people a safe and legal way to reach the UK.”

The APPG report highlights the inadequacy of existing safe routes, including resettlement schemes and family reunion processes. The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), intended to bring 5,000 refugees to the UK annually, has consistently failed to meet its targets, with only 435 people resettled in the year to September 2024. Meanwhile, family reunion applications are beset by delays, with over 11,000 cases backlogged and two-thirds exceeding the Home Office’s service standard of 60 days.

In its key recommendations, the report calls for:

• Reinstating a multi-year target of 5,000 refugees annually under the UK Resettlement Scheme.

• Allowing refugee children to sponsor their family members to join them in the UK, bringing the UK in line with most European nations.

• Piloting a humanitarian visa scheme to provide a safe alternative for refugees with strong asylum claims.

Waeed, a Syrian refugee who lived in Jordan for 7 years before being resettled to the UK, told the APPG inquiry:

“I felt a sense of jubilation when I was selected by the UNHCR to be resettled in the UK. I was so scared when I was in the refugee camp in Jordan of being returned to war-torn Syria, and we only had a few hours of electricity in the camp each day. More people should be given the chance to rebuild their lives in the UK like I am. I am now working as an interpreter, my son is starting his life here, and I look forward to being granted citizenship.”

The inquiry drew on international examples to demonstrate how effective safe routes can be. In the United States, the introduction of the CHNV programme in 2023 reduced irregular crossings among Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan nationals by over 70%. Similarly, Switzerland’s humanitarian visa has provided a controlled pathway for individuals facing imminent danger.
The report underscores the importance of such schemes in reducing irregular arrivals and proposes a pilot refugee visa scheme in the UK, initially capped at 10,000 applicants from high asylum-grant rate countries such as Sudan, Syria, and Eritrea.

Mohanad, a Sudanese refugee who arrived in the UK in the back of a lorry, told the APPG inquiry:

“I was training to be a doctor in Sudan, but I was targeted because of my tribe. I had no choice but to flee. I travelled to Europe, but couldn’t stay in France, the camps were so hostile and police treatment was bad. There are no routes to safety for Sudanese people who are persecuted like me.”

Bishop of Chelmsford, The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, a member of the APPG on Refugees, said:

“The report on Safe and Legal Routes published by the APPG for Refugees is very significant in highlighting discrepancies and issues of concern in the current refugee system. I welcome this report and believe its recommendations provide an opportunity for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the current asylum processes and I very much look forward to its publication.”