The United Kingdom is preparing major immigration legislation. The Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026, now under public discussion, sets out the government's planned direction for the country's immigration and asylum system in the years ahead.

Rights-based organisation Right to Remain has published an overview of the Bill, titled "The Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026: What we know so far." The organisation tracks UK immigration and asylum law and provides public legal education resources for people navigating the system.

What the Bill covers

The Bill addresses both immigration and asylum policy in a single piece of legislation. As its name indicates, it is scheduled for the 2026 parliamentary cycle. Right to Remain's briefing sets out the measures contained in the draft text as currently available and highlights the areas where details remain unclear or subject to change as the Bill progresses through Parliament.

Because the legislation is still in development, the published overview frames itself as a snapshot of what is known so far rather than a final account. Parliamentary bills typically change during committee stages, report stages and Lords scrutiny, so measures described at this stage may be amended, expanded or dropped before the Bill receives Royal Assent.

Who should pay attention

The Bill is relevant to several groups:

• Asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, whose claims, rights and support arrangements may be directly affected by the new provisions.
• Migrants with pending or planned applications, including those applying for visas, settlement or protection-based status.
• Advisers, solicitors and support organisations, who need to track how the legislation reshapes existing procedures and legal thresholds.
• Employers and sponsors, who rely on the immigration system for workforce recruitment and must follow any procedural changes the Bill introduces.

What happens next

A bill of this scale will move through the standard parliamentary process: first reading, second reading debate, committee stage scrutiny, report stage and third reading in the House of Commons, followed by consideration in the House of Lords. Only after both chambers agree on the final text does a bill become an Act, at which point implementation dates and transitional rules are confirmed.

Right to Remain indicates it will continue to update its coverage as the Bill advances and as further details emerge. Readers should treat current descriptions of the Bill's contents as provisional until the legislation is enacted and commencement regulations are published.

Where to check for authoritative information

The primary official sources for tracking the legislation are the UK Parliament website, which publishes the Bill text and amendments at each stage, and the Home Office, which announces implementation timelines and guidance once measures become law. Official immigration guidance on GOV.UK remains the authoritative reference for how any enacted changes apply to individual cases.

Anyone whose status, claim or application could be affected by the new legislation should consult a registered immigration adviser or solicitor for advice on their specific circumstances, and monitor official channels for confirmed dates and procedures.