UK changes policy on Ukrainians: why it denies refugees protection
Illustrative photo: refugees from Ukraine (Getty Images)
The United Kingdom has begun massively denying permanent asylum to Ukrainians, citing the safety of Ukraine’s western regions. This has raised concerns among refugees over the uncertainty of their future, according to the BBC.
The United Kingdom is currently facing immense pressure on its migration system, with the number of asylum applications steadily rising. As a result, the government has decided to tighten the rules, making the path to legalisation more difficult.
The Home Office justifies rejections by arguing that the war is allegedly concentrated in eastern Ukraine, while the west is sufficiently safe. At the end of January 2025, the Home Office published updated information on the situation in Ukraine, and officials are now relying on this document when reviewing asylum applications.
The report states that in government-controlled Ukrainian territories, there are generally no restrictions on movement, meaning that a person can likely relocate to another region of the country where there is no active fighting.
The Home Office lists Kyiv, as well as Chernivtsi, Zakarpattia, Ternopil, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Volyn, and Lviv regions as relatively safe areas.
However, lawyers and human rights defenders point out that the Foreign Office advises British nationals to avoid travelling to western Ukraine "unless essential." They see this as a contradiction between the foreign policy risk assessment and migration practice.
Since the beginning of 2025, the UK has been massively refusing Ukrainians permanent asylum. This does not mean they must leave immediately, as their current visas can be extended for another year and a half. Still, for many Ukrainians, this brings huge uncertainty and fear for the future.
How refusals play out in practice
For example, one applicant was denied because his family holds dual citizenship with Hungary, something the Home Office argued makes the region safer, as Hungary is a Russian ally. Lawyers call such reasoning unacceptable, as it effectively undermines Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Stories like that of Oleksandr from Odesa, who lost relatives to the war and has now been refused asylum, highlight the tragedy and uncertainty Ukrainians in the UK face.
According to the European Commission, about 4.3 million people in the EU had temporary protection in January 2025. This number is expected to remain stable through 2025, then drop to 4.1 million by the end of 2025 and to 3.8 million by the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, the National Bank of Ukraine’s July 2025 Inflation Report projects that around 200,000 people will leave Ukraine annually over the next two years, with a gradual return of migrants expected only in 2027.
