The government is proposing to change the immigration system from the existing award of indefinite leave to remain after a fixed period of time to a points-based ‘earned settlement’ model.

NCVO call the proposal “regressive, coercive, and unworkable”.

What is the proposed change?

• The right to settle and live in the UK will have to be earnt and will no longer be automatic.
• The minimum qualifying period will increase from five to 10 years and there will be stricter mandatory conditions such as a minimum annual earnings threshold.
• The minimum qualification period can be reduced through contributions to society such as high incomes [over £50k/annum], carrying out public service roles such as health professional or teacher, and by contribution to society through volunteering.

How is it linked to volunteering?

The consultation document does not give any further information on what “working in the community (volunteering etc.)” means or explores the evidence that an applicant will need to provide to show the volunteering they have done.

There are significant concerns about moving to an earned settlement model, the risks it raises for the VCSE sector and for individuals who may feel they have no option but to volunteer when it is not the right thing for them.

Issues identified

• Extremely vulnerable people will feel coerced into volunteering or participating in community activities when this is not an appropriate thing for them to do e.g. if they have caring responsibilities, already work full time, are unwell, etc.
• Due to the very limited options to reduce the time to settlement, it is likely that large numbers of people will want to volunteer. There has been no assessment of the capacity of the VCSE sector to support people to volunteer in these circumstances and it is not clear if the sector could currently meet the demand. 
• There will be significant additional administrative and financial burdens placed on VCSE organisations who choose to or want to work with and support migrant communities to volunteer and participate in society. No additional funding is likely to be forthcoming to support this proposal, and it is clear that the likely impact on the VCSE sector has not been properly considered. 
• It places additional risks on VCSE organisations already operating in a hostile environment, and opens staff and volunteers up to further abuse, threats and violence for supporting migration communities. 
• An earned settlement system that preferences financial contribution above all else risks losing vital and diverse contributions to society across a breadth of practical and social roles, knowledge and experiences. 
• There has been no consultation with the VCSE sector prior to the publication of these proposals as to whether they are realistic or achievable by the sector. 

What happens now?

The government has a consultation open until 12 February 2026.

NCVO have gathered evidence from over 300 VCSE organisationsto inform a strong, representative sector response to the consultation, which will be submitted by 12 February.

They are calling on the government to withdraw the proposal and instead work with the VCSE sector on approaches that remove barriers to volunteering, supported by proper investment in infrastructure and support.

Wanting to submit your own response to the consultation? Download the talking points from NCVO and social media assets to help amplify your message.

Sources for this article: NAVCA, NCVO and GOV.UK