On 27 July 2026, in response to written parliamentary questions tabled by PRCBC’s Patron, Baroness Lister of Burtersett, the Home Office Minister, Lord Hanson, confirmed:
First, the Government is still “…considering the specific position of migrant children in care who reach adulthood without having secured immigration status and the support currently available to help them regularise their status.” Disappointingly, nothing was said about children born in the UK notwithstanding that the questions asked were not limited to children brought or sent to the UK. Moreover, the answer given appears to confirm no specific consideration of children’s citizenship rights notwithstanding that the questions asked expressly sought information about this rights and consideration of them. The relevant questions and answer are here and here.
Second, “…the fee for an application to register as a British citizen for individuals under the age of 18 was reduced from £1,214 to £1,000 on 8 April 2026” in connection with the commitment in the Government’s Immigration White Paper to give “consideration… to reducing financial barriers to acquiring British citizenship for young adults who have lived in the UK through their childhood.” Disappointingly, nothing further was said about that commitment, which was the specific focus of the question, notwithstanding that the fee reduction has no effect for any young adult and so does not in any way address the matter to which the Government had expressly said it would give consideration. The relevant question and answer are here.
PRCBC continues to consider further steps that can be taken to encourage the Government to address our concerns about children who grow up in the UK – whether born, brought or sent here – with rights to British citizenship that are not acted on by the adults responsible for them and who therefore enter adulthood without British citizenship (and sometimes with no other formal status in the UK).”