The government is investigating after BBC reports revealed some migrants are being advised to make false claims they are gay or a victim of domestic abuse in order to stay in the country.
No 10 said there were “robust safeguards” to make sure claims are “rigorously and fairly assessed”.
The prime minister’s spokesman said the Home Office and the regulator, the Immigration Advice Authority, were working to ensure “anyone potentially abusing our immigration system is held accountable”.
Opposition parties have called for a complete overhaul of the asylum system to prevent false claims.
The Home Office was already looking into a growing trend of fake claims from people pretending to be gay, as well as concerns that rules designed to protect victims of domestic violence are being exploited.
It is now investigating the individuals and organisations highlighted by the BBC’s reporting.
A BBC investigation has uncovered how migrants whose visas are due to run out are being given fake cover stories and instructed in how to obtain fabricated evidence, including supporting letters, photographs and medical reports.
In some cases, law firms and advisers are charging thousands of pounds to advise migrants how they can claim to be gay and in fear for their lives if they return to Pakistan or Bangladesh, in order to apply for asylum.
The BBC has also discovered how some migrants are exploiting rules brought in by ministers to help genuine victims of domestic abuse to secure permanent residence more quickly than through other routes, such as asylum.
In some cases, migrants have duped British partners into relationships and marriage before making fake domestic abuse claims after moving to the UK.
The number of people claiming fast-track residency on the basis of domestic abuse has now reached more than 5,500 a year – a number which has risen by more than 50% in just three years.
The prime minister’s spokesman told reporters: “Both the Home Office and Immigration Advice Authority are investigating the claims made by the BBC, both yesterday and today, to ensure anyone potentially abusing our immigration system is held accountable.
“Any attempt to misuse protections designed to protect genuine victims from the devastation of domestic abuse is shameful and completely unacceptable.
“The home secretary has been clear that those trying to defraud the British people to remain in the UK will have their application refused and find themselves on a one way flight out of Britain.
“Where unethical and illegal practices are identified and evidence exists, legal practitioners will be referred to the police through the relevant regulatory body.”
No timeframe was given for the investigation.
Asked whether the PM was confident claims were being scrutinised closely enough, the spokesman added: “The asylum system is built on robust safeguards, so every claim is rigorously and fairly assessed, abuse is actively uncovered, and these procedures are continually reviewed to shut down misuse.”
Immigration Services Commissioner Gaon Hart, who oversees the regulation of immigration advisers, said there was “abhorrent abuse of the system” and a minority of advisers were damaging the reputation of the sector.
“Wherever there is potential for greed, there is and will be abuse and we will be addressing it,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
He said there had been a significant number of enforcement actions last year after complaints had been raised against people giving unregulated advice or manipulating the system.
He added that the Home Office had referred cases to the authority following suspicions and was increasing funding to ramp up investigations and prosecutions.
However, Hart called for “greater clarity and simplicity in the system” and appealed for more people to come forward and report any suspicions of malpractice.
Since winning power last in 2024, Labour has made cracking down on illegal immigration and making the asylum system fairer a key priority.
However, it faces a challenge of balancing the need to close loopholes while still protecting the vulnerable.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the asylum system “must be totally overhauled” so only those facing real personal persecution are granted asylum.
Liberal Democrat immigration and asylum spokesman Will Forster said the BBC’s findings were “abhorrent”, adding: “We need an asylum system that is fair, controlled and efficient. Not the shambles the Conservatives left us with.”
Reform UK said that if the party wins power it would make facilitating a false asylum claim a “strict liability” criminal offence, meaning there would be no requirement to prove intent in prosecutions, which would be punishable by up to two years in jail.
However, the Green Party said the BBC’s reporting “gives an entirely false impression of a system which is, in reality, stacked against people seeking asylum” and heightened “the hostile environment” facing this group.
Source:BBC
