UK migrant families face giving up vital in-work benefits to avoid being ‘punished’

Under Shabana Mahmood's proposals, wait for settled status would double to 20 years if public funds used while in work

Families claiming in-work benefits face giving them up and enduring hardship to avoid being punished" under a planned government migration crackdown, experts have said.

More than 200,000 people living legally in the UK are on the 10-year route to settled status, which requires legal migrants to renew 30-month visas four times - at a cost of 3,908.50 including healthcare costs per renewal - before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).