Home Office minister Jess Phillips has told MPs that there has been a noticeable increase in migrants making false domestic abuse claims to secure residency in the UK. Testifying before the Home Affairs Committee, Phillips said the trend had become more common over the past five years and that she had ordered officials to investigate soon after taking office in 2024.
Phillips indicated that the government could tighten the evidential requirements for such claims to root out fraud. "Some of the evidential thresholds used in the past—for example, support organizations vouching that someone is a victim—need to be made incredibly tight," she said. She also stressed the need for better training, including for police, to recognize this as a "tactic in the field."
The minister was responding to a BBC investigation that revealed how domestic abuse protections were being exploited by migrants seeking to stay in the country. Under current rules, migrants on a partner-sponsored visa can apply for fast-track indefinite leave to remain if they are victims of domestic abuse. The number of applicants has surged 50% in two years, exceeding 5,500 per year.
Conservative MP Robbie Moore, who raised the issue in Parliament, pressed Phillips on the scale of the problem. Phillips acknowledged a rise in "claim and counterclaim" scenarios where both partners allege abuse. She remarked that it "almost feels like all perpetrators of domestic abuse have one massive WhatsApp group" where they learn how to cheat the system.
However, Phillips cautioned against measures that could harm genuine victims. "Nobody would want to see that woman have to jump through many hoops to get away from being raped," she said, adding that the vast majority of cases are legitimate. The goal, she explained, is to strike a fair balance: raising the evidential bar to stop fraud while ensuring real victims can access protection.
Phillips also called for accountability, stating that those who make false allegations "should be held responsible." The Home Office is now working on reforms to address the issue.