U.K. PM Burnham backs principle of ‘earned settlement’ in immigration rules

U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that he stands by the principle that settlement (permanent residence) in the U.K. should be “earned” and not granted automatically. An increase in the baseline qualifying period for settlement, from 5 of 15 years had been proposed by U.K. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood as part of a draft “earned settlement” immigration overhaul last year, during the Keir Starmer administration. Individuals could qualify for shorter or longer periods depending on income, immigration violations and other factors.

Indian citizens are likely to be significantly impacted by the new rules. Indian nationals constituted the largest group from outside the EU + (EU and a few other European countries) area to migrate long-term to the U.K. for the year ending December 2025.

“We’ll set out the plan on that quite soon,” Mr. Burnham said during a TV interview on Monday (October 26, 2026) morning. He said the government was still considering the responses received in the public consultation process that took place earlier this year.  In recent weeks the Prime Minister has indicated that the government would soften the proposed stance towards social care workers. These individuals formed a significant part of the ‘Boriswave’ of migration – a surge in migrants in the early 2020s – who are now becoming eligible for settlement.

Mr. Burnham said that since the U.K. left the E.U. in 2016, things had not “played out as people said it would at the time” with the country’s economy weakening and control over immigration becoming more challenging. He said “revolving-door immigration” was being replaced by permanent immigration to the U.K.

Over the weekend, the Sunday Times had reported that Mr. Burnham had told the publication that he would be open to considering ‘free movement’ (i.e., right to live and work) between the U.K. and E.U.

‘Won’t move ahead of public’ on rejoining EU

In his Monday (October 26, 2026) interview, Mr. Burnham reiterated his wish to see the U.K. rejoin the E.U. in his lifetime, adding, however, that would “not move ahead of the public”.

“The British public …will be the bosses here. They will decide what will happen in relation to Brexit,” he said, as he denied that he was “testing the waters” with the public and media on how a return to the E.U. would be received.

The U.K. and EU are working towards concluding an agreement that would cover agriculture and immigration among other areas, at a summit meeting on November 20.

Mr. Burnham ruled out an early general election. The current parliament expires in 2029.