The government has written a behaviour guide for asylum seekers — here's what's in it
The Home Office has published a nine-page booklet telling asylum seekers how they are expected to behave in the UK. It covers respect in public, sex and consent, and gender equality. The document, titled "Understanding behaviours and expectations in the UK: A guide for asylum seekers," appeared on the government's website on 19 August 2026. Its purpose is to help asylum seekers — people who have asked the UK for protection while fleeing danger in their home countries — understand what is expected of them while they live here (GOV.UK).
The booklet's section on gender says that women in the UK have equal rights to men. It states that women do not need permission from a husband, father, brother or any other man to work, study, travel, or make decisions. The section on sex and consent explains that both people must agree to sex or sexual contact of any kind, and that consent cannot be given if someone is asleep, drunk, or unable to respond. The guidance also covers domestic abuse (GOV.UK).
Under the heading of respect in public, the booklet says it is not acceptable to whistle or make kissing noises at people on the street. It also says people should not make sexual comments, even if they mean them as a compliment. The document warns that breaking UK law could lead to trouble with police, loss of asylum support, or could affect an asylum claim (BBC News).
The publication drew immediate criticism from opposition parties. Chris Philp, the Conservatives' shadow home secretary — the MP who would speak for the Home Office if his party were in government — said asylum seekers should be deported rather than trained to behave civilly towards women. Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's home affairs spokesman, called the booklet "a disgrace" and said its publication showed the government knows asylum seekers are "a menace" (BBC News).
The guidance comes amid major changes to asylum policy. In November 2025, the government announced what it called the largest overhaul of asylum policy in modern times. This included increasing the wait for permanent settlement for refugees from five years to 20 years (Reuters). The Home Office also published updated guidance for officials on how to allocate asylum accommodation on 29 July 2026 (GOV.UK).
Home Office figures show that 93,525 people applied for asylum in the UK between April 2025 and March 2026. That is a 12% decrease on the same period the previous year (BBC News).
The booklet is not the first informational document the Home Office has produced for people going through the asylum system. An "Asylum Point of claim information booklet" was published in April 2021. The new guidance is different because it focuses on behaviour rather than on how to make a claim (NCBI PMC).
The broader context here is that the political dividing lines are sharp. Philp's argument is that removal should replace what he calls behavioural training, suggesting the system is too soft to enforce its own rules. Yusuf's language goes further, using the document to make a general claim about all asylum seekers. Neither politician engages with what the guidance actually says, which covers legal standards that already apply to everyone in the UK.
There is also a practical question for people who work in asylum support. Accommodation providers may need to think about whether and how to give the booklet to new arrivals, given the updated accommodation rules that took effect last month. The warning that bad behaviour could affect someone's asylum support or claim gives the guidance a weight that goes beyond simple advice, though it has not yet been tested in law.
