Home Office Investigates BBC Report on Asylum Protections Misuse

The Home Office is investigating after a BBC revelation that some migrants are being advised to make false claims to remain in the UK. A BBC undercover investigation revealed that rules aimed at protecting abuse victims are being exploited by some migrants making false domestic abuse claims to stay in the UK.

Reform UK has unveiled proposals to imprison lawyers who assist illegal migrants in fabricating claims about their sexuality to secure asylum in Britain.

The proposed legislation would classify the facilitation of fraudulent asylum applications as a strict liability criminal offence carrying a maximum sentence of two years behind bars. Under this proposal, prosecutors would not need to demonstrate that lawyers acted with deliberate intent when helping clients deceive immigration authorities.

The investigation found that law firms and advisers were demanding thousands of pounds to coach asylum seekers on how to falsely present themselves as homosexual to remain in the country.

Zia Yusuf described the situation as evidence of an illegal migration industrial complex operating within Britain, stating that advisers were instructing clients to make false domestic abuse allegations, which he called absolutely disgusting. The Prime Minister's official spokesman declared that migrants caught lying about their sexuality would have their asylum claims cancelled and would be deported from Britain.

Shabana Mahmood condemned those exploiting protections designed for genuine refugees, stating that sham lawyers would face the full force of the law.

Ciswaka, operating under the name Corporate Immigration UK, was found to be coaching clients on how to present their cases as psychological domestic abuse. ' Ciswaka is neither a registered solicitor nor a regulated immigration adviser, making it illegal for him to provide immigration advice or services.

An internal Home Office assessment in 2014 identified the potential for abuse of the domestic violence route to settlement, and a report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration in 2015 found problems with checks being made on domestic abuse claims.

A total of 5,596 migrants made applications for indefinite leave to remain as victims of domestic abuse in the 12 months up to September 2025, with around a quarter of those applications made by men, a rise of 66% compared with two years earlier.