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Human rights applications

This page explains how we may consider allowing you to stay in the United Kingdom temporarily for humanitarian reasons. It also gives brief details of the Gateway Protection Programme for resettling refugees here.

The United Kingdom adheres to the European Convention on Human Rights which prevents us sending someone to a country where there is a real risk they will be exposed to torture, or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

If you do not qualify for recognition as a refugee but we think there are humanitarian reasons why we should allow you to stay in the United Kingdom, we may give you temporary permission to stay here.

In 2006, 9% of people (nine out of every 100) who applied for asylum but did not qualify for refugee status were given temporary permission to stay for humanitarian or other reasons.

Gateway Protection Programme

The Gateway Protection Programme is operated by the UK Border Agency in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations' refugee organisation. It offers a legal route for up to 500 genuine refugees to settle in the United Kingdom each year.

Applications for resettlement in the United Kingdom under this programme are referred to us by UNHCR. They cannot be made directly to us, to British diplomatic posts abroad or through other international organisations. All applications are assessed individually on their merits.

Once applicants are referred to us, we carry out checks to assess:

  • their refugee status;
  • their need for resettlement (including whether their human rights are at risk in the country where they sought refuge and whether they have long-term security in the country where they currently live);
  • security risks (such as if the applicant has committed a serious crime or represents a threat to national security);
  • their family status (including dependants and their relationship to the applicant); and
  • the health of the applicant and their dependants.

We may refuse an application for resettlement in the United Kingdom if we have good reasons to believe resettlement would not be for the public good.

You can read more about the programme in the Law and policy section.