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The UK government has taken ‘inconsistent action’ – the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) lowest ranking – and failed to uphold the rights of migrants and asylum seekers in line with UN recommendations.  

The latest assessment from the National Human Rights Institution found gaps in social security provisions and failures to provide protection from poverty and destitution.

The assessment notes some positive steps towards upholding rights such as maintaining free English language lessons for some refugees and asylum seekers, and the publication of the government’s ‘Protecting what matters’ strategy, which commits to supporting cohesion and helping migrants integrate in their communities.

Despite this commitment, the EHRC found major gaps in the government’s approach to promoting integration and fostering good relations between all groups.  

The UK government ended its Refugee Employability Programme after less than two years. The programme was designed to help refugees with CV writing and interview skills so they could find work. At the same time, it also revoked its legal duty to support asylum seekers at risk of destitution this year.

The EHRC noted the government had also not acted in line with a UN recommendation to prevent poverty among migrants and asylum seekers. Instead of revising rules which do not allow many migrants to access social security (‘no recourse to public funds’) when they may need it – in line with the UN’s recommendations – the government has consulted on proposals to extend no recourse to public funds conditions to people granted Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK. 

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:

“Everyone in the UK is covered by its human rights framework, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. But our human rights only work when they protect each and every one of us, including migrants and asylum seekers. When the government fail to protect the rights of one group, it puts everyone’s rights at risk.

“Economic, cultural and social rights are the bedrock of our day-to-day lives. We all want to know that those rights will be respected, so we have a fair chance at finding a job and access to a social security system to protect us when times are hard. 

“Among the UN’s recommendations are steps that the government could be taking to improve how people arriving in this country settle and contribute to it. Which should accelerate their integration into society and improve social cohesion in our communities.  

“That’s why we are calling on the UK government to implement the outstanding recommendations for promoting economic, cultural and social rights in full, ahead of the UN’s follow-up review next year.”  

The assessment is one of 57 published today by the EHRC on its world-leading monitoring tool – the Human Rights Tracker. The assessments evaluate progress made by the UK and Welsh governments a year on from recommendations made by the UN Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in March 2025.

Background

• The EHRC has published 57 new assessments – 33 relating to UK government action and 24 to Welsh Government action.
• The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights made its recommendations to the UK and Welsh governments in March 2025. The UN’s follow up review of the governments' action is expected in March 2027.
• The EHRC’s assessments are based on evidence up to 30 June 2026.
• In 2024, the EHRC assessed the UK government’s implementation of the Istanbul Convention to prevent violence against women and domestic abuse. The EHRC's report notes ‘no recourse to public funds’ conditions can be a barrier to migrant survivors of domestic abuse accessing support services.   

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Related information

• Read the assessments on our human rights tracker