The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee launches a new inquiry into settlement, citizenship, and integration.
The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee announced on 24 November 2025 that it has launched a wide-ranging inquiry into settlement, citizenship and integration across the UK. The inquiry will examine Government proposals set out in the Immigration White Paper and the recent policy paper on asylum and returns, as well as longer-term trends and international comparisons relating to how people settle in the UK and become citizens.
Image credit: Wikipedia As part of this work, the Committee has issued a broad call for evidence welcoming submissions on the proposals from individuals, organisations and experts across the UK, including those with lived experience of settlement and citizenship processes. It is seeking views on issues such as the effectiveness of current policy, the complexity and cost of applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain and citizenship, the role of the Life in the UK Test, approaches to integration and social cohesion, and how the UK’s systems compare historically and internationally. Written evidence should be submitted by 23 January 2026, with earlier submissions encouraged.
The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee provided the following brief details about the call for evidence, including the links where you can respond:
The Committee has […] launched an inquiry relating to settlement, citizenship, and integration in the UK (Settlement, Citizenship and Integration - Committees - UK Parliament). The UK Government has this year announced large scale changes to the immigration system, as well as the asylum system, and recently announced a consultation on the concept of ‘earned settlement’. Themes that this inquiry is likely to look at, amongst others, will be the proposals contained in the Immigration White Paper (Restoring control over the immigration system) and Asylum Command Paper (Restoring order and control: A statement on the Government’s asylum and returns policy), issues relating to integration and social cohesion, and the process of obtaining citizenship.
The Committee is looking to hear from those with interest in the issues above. We are seeking written evidence on a variety of topics related to those discussed. The call for evidence is available via these links: Inquiry Announcement and Call for Evidence. Further details regarding submissions can be found at the links provided.
This is a public call for evidence. Please bring it to the attention of other groups and individuals who you believe this may be of interest to.
Diversity comes in many forms and hearing a range of different perspectives means that committees are better informed and can more effectively scrutinise public policy and legislation. Committees can undertake their role most effectively when they hear from a wide range of individuals, sectors or groups in society affected by a particular policy or piece of legislation. We encourage anyone with experience or expertise of an issue under investigation by a select committee to share their views with the committee, with the full knowledge that their views have value and are welcome.
You may follow the progress of the inquiry at https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9453/settlement-citizenship-and-integration/