Following the Home Secretary’s announcements on asylum reform, our polling shows widespread concern about a lack of control over the UK’s borders, and indicates that many government policies are broadly in line with public opinion. While Britons want stricter control of the asylum system, few support the idea of 'pulling up the drawbridge' entirely. There remains cross-political support for capped, controlled routes for people fleeing war or persecution.
Seven in ten think the government does not have control over our borders
Nearly seven in ten Britons (69 per cent) say that the Government does not have control over our borders and who enters the country.
Three fifths of Labour’s own voters say they lack control over our borders: 59 per cent of those who voted Labour in 2024 say that the Government does not have control over the borders, compared to a third (35 per cent) who think that they do have control.
This rises to 84 per cent of Conservative voters and 87 per cent of Reform voters.
Only a quarter of Britons think we should close the border to those fleeing war or persecution; 60 per cent want capped, controlled routes for refugees
Britons want greater control over our borders, but that doesn't mean 'pulling up the drawbridge' entirely to those in real need.
Just under a quarter (24 per cent) say that Britain should not let in any people feeling war-torn countries and persecution; three in five (60 per cent) think that the UK should let people fleeing war-torn countries into Britain through capped, controlled routes.
Meanwhile, 9 per cent say that we should let in anyone fleeing war-torn countries and persecution, even if they arrive illegally.
Only a third of Reform voters (36 per cent) want to close our border to refugees. Meanwhile nearly three in five (59 per cent) believe we should accept people fleeing war-torn countries and persecution through capped, controlled routes.
Widespread support for the Home Secretary’s new asylum policies - across the spectrum and with both Labour and Reform voters
A majority of Britons support many of the new policies announced by the Home Secretary on Monday:
- Seven in ten Britons (69 per cent) support the move to temporary asylum status, while only 11 per cent oppose it.
- 68 per cent support restricting the appeal system to a single appeal, compared to 11 per cent who oppose it.
- Nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) support banning asylum claims and imposing sanctions on countries who do not co-operate on removing illegal migrants, while 10 per cent oppose this policy.
- Widespread support for expecting asylum seekers to contribute through non-sentimental belongings (61 per cent support; 15 per cent oppose).
- 61 per cent support removing the legal duty of the Government to provide asylum seekers with support; 15 per cent oppose this.
- 59 per cent support allowing businesses to support and sponsor skilled displaced people to come to the UK for work, with caps set by the central Government; 13 per cent oppose this.
- 55 per cent support creating a route where an asylum seeker can ‘earn’ permanent settlement after 10 years if they are employed or studying, while 17 per cent oppose this.
- Yet 53 per cent also support the government’s move to a 20-year wait before most asylum seekers can settle permanently; 22 per cent oppose this.
- Support is more lukewarm (although still a strong plurality) for voluntary capped sponsorship of asylum seekers: 45 per cent support this move; 24 per cent oppose it.
Nearly seven in ten 2025 Labour voters want their MPs to back asylum policies
More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of those who voted Labour in 2024 say they would want their MP to support the asylum policies in Parliament, compared to only 14 per cent who would want their MP to vote against the legislation.
Across the public as a whole, 56 per cent of Britons would want their MP to support the reforms, compared to only 17 per cent who want their MP to vote against it.
Majorities of Conservative (69 per cent), Reform (65 per cent) and Liberal Democrat (56 per cent) voters also say that they would like their MP to support the government’s legislation.
Support for new policies across the spectrum but Green voters more ambivalent
While many of Labour’s new policies are more popular among Reform voters than Labour’s own voter base, they are popular across the political spectrum. However, supporters of the Green Party are divided on some of the key policies.
- 74 per cent of Labour voters support the move to temporary asylum status, rising to 86 per cent of Reform voters, and dropping to 48 per cent of Green voters.
- 90 per cent of Reform voters support restricting asylum seekers to a single appeal, alongside 68 per cent of Labour voters, and 47 per cent of Green voters.
- The exception is the capped sponsorship scheme: 67 per cent of Labour voters support allowing individuals and groups to sponsor asylum seekers, but this drops to just 27 per cent of Reform voters.
Half of Britons think that the reforms will be an improvement on the current asylum system - rising to two-thirds of the voters Labour has lost to the right.
Half (49 per cent) of Britons think that the new government reforms are an improvement on the current system, just 11 percent say they are worse, while 25 per cent say they are neither better nor worse.
For previous Labour voters who have switched to now currently support either Reform UK or the Conservatives this is particularly strong: almost two thirds (64 percent) say the new policies are better than the previous, only 9 per cent think that they are worse.