Burak Bir
27 August 2026•Update: 27 August 2026
The British government acted against UN recommendations aimed at protecting vulnerable asylum seekers, a rights watchdog said on Thursday.
In its report, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the government has taken "inconsistent action" – the lowest EHRC ranking – and failed to uphold the rights of migrants and asylum seekers in line with UN recommendations.
Citing the National Human Rights Institution, it found gaps in social security provisions and failures to provide protection from poverty and destitution.
The EHRC said it 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," it said, mentioning that the program 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."
It noted that the government had also not acted in line with a UN recommendation to prevent poverty among migrants and asylum seekers.
The watchdog stressed that instead of revising rules which do not allow many migrants to access social security, the government has consulted on proposals to extend no recourse to public funds conditions to people granted Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.
"When the government fail to protect the rights of one group, it puts everyone’s rights at risk," said Mary-Ann Stephenson, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The chair called on the 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.
