MANCHESTER, UK — African Rainbow Family, the leading UK-based Expert-by-Lived-Experience grassroots charity campaigning and advocating for the racial justice and human rights of LGBTIQ+ refugees and people seeking asylum of African heritage and the Global Majority, today welcomes a significant concession in the Government’s newly announced asylum reforms.
Following the Home Secretary’s announcement regarding the shift to a “temporary protection” model, African Rainbow Family is pleased to note that the Government has committed to one of our recommendations to dis-apply any changes to immigration and asylum rules retrospectively. This ensures that Siblings who submitted their asylum claims prior to 2 March 2026 will remain on the established 5-year pathway to settlement and will not be subjected to the precarious 30-month review cycle. You can read our recommendations here as contained in our published Policy Brief.
See our advocacy and campaign materials regarding the Earned Settlement Policy here and here.
This decision is a direct result of the strategic advocacy led by African Rainbow Family. In our recently published policy brief, “A World without Prejudice: Earned Settlement Policy Brief for LGBTIQ+ Refugees and People Seeking Asylum in the United Kingdom,” which was sent to Constituency MPs, The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and The House of Lords Peers, we presented a clear recommendation: any reform to the system must dis-apply changes retrospectively to prevent a “lost generation” of refugees.
Aderonke Apata, CEO and Founder of African Rainbow Family, said:
“As a Charity led by experts-by-lived-experience, we made The Home Secretary aware in our brief that was sent to her and other MPs including House of Lords’ Peers, that retrospective changes would be a grave injustice. We are heartened that this recommendation was heard. However, our work is far from over. While our current Siblings are protected, the new 30-month ‘temporary’ model for future arrivals remains a draconian measure that risks the mental health and safety of the most vulnerable. We continue to call for a system rooted in humanity, dignity, and fairness.”
The urgency of this advocacy is underscored by data within our Policy Brief. Since the initial announcement of these reforms in November 2025, African Rainbow Family recorded a staggering increase in Siblings accessing specialist LGBTIQ+ counselling, rising from 47% to 84%. Referrals to our free Access to Justice Immigration Advice Services also jumped from 53% to 90%, as the community grappled with the anxiety of “living in limbo.”
While the transitional protections are a victory for racial justice and human rights, African Rainbow Family remains committed to campaigning for the retention of the 5-year ILR pathway for all refugees. We maintain that short-term renewals create instability, heighten the risk of economic and sexual exploitation, unnecessary bureaucracy and undermine the UK’s commitment to human rights and international humanitarian standards.
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3rd of March 2026
Contacts:
Adeniyi Balogun, African Rainbow Family’s Advocacy and Campaigns Manager: adeniyi.balogun@africanrainbowfamily.org
Luca Dicorato, African Rainbow Family’s Media, Relationships and Communication Officer: luca.dicorato@africanrainbowfamily.org