Asylum legislation
This section summarises the main pieces of law affecting asylum seekers and refugees.
1951 Refugee ConventionThe 1951 Refugee Convention sets out the criteria someone has to meet in order to be recognised as a refugee. It also sets out what rights people have when they are recognised as refugees.
Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993This Act incorporates UK obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention formally into domestic law. It restricts asylum appplicants' access to housing and introduces fingerprinting requirements as well as fast track procedures for assessing asylum applications.
Asylum and Immigration Act 1996This Act removes benefit entitlements from in-country asylum applicants and further restricts access to housing. It also requires employers to check documents for permission to work.
Human Rights 1998This law transposes the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into domestic law, making it enforceable in UK courts. It prohibits the Government from removing anyone from the UK who would be at risk of having their ECHR rights breached.
Immigration and Asylum Act 1999This law removes all remaining mainstream welfare benefit entitlement from all asylum applicants. It creates the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) to provide basic support and accommodation to destitute asylum applicants on the basis of a no-choice dispersal policy.
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002This Act provides for the creation of a new network of induction centres and accommodation centres to house destitute asylum seekers. It also removes in-country appeal rights for asylum seekers whose asylum applications are certified as 'clearly unfounded'.
Asylum and Immigration Act 2004This Act introduced a new single-tier appeals process, abolished back-dated support payments, new offences for undocumented migrants and for non-cooperation with removal.
Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006This law prohibits the provision of cash to asylum seekers receiving Section 4 support and extends the use of vouchers. It also extends the grounds on which the Government can exclude people from the 1951 Refugee Convention based on the extended definition provided in the Terrorism Act 2006.
UK Borders Act 2007This Act establishes a consolidated border and immigration inspectorate, provides for biometric immigration documents and gives powers to allow reporting and residence requirements as a condition of leave to enter or remain.
Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008This Act introduces a new Special Immigration Status for foreign criminals and their dependants who the Government cannot remove from the country because to do so would breach their human rights.
A common European asylum systemThis section looks at the directives and regulations that make up the European Union's common policy on immigration and asylum.
