Simplification of the Immigration Rules: Report
Law Commission report with recommendations to simplify the immigration rules.
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Improvements to the way that Immigration Rules are written and presented would make them easier to follow for applicants and save the Government almost £70 million over ten years.
The report, which does not make any recommendations around substantive immigration policy, recommends a complete redrafting of the Rules with the aim of creating simplified and more easily accessible Rules that offer increased legal certainty and transparency for applicants.
The recommended changes include improvements to how the Rules are structured, drafted and maintained, and include a twice-yearly limit to updates to the Rules. The improvements extend to how the Rules interact with supporting guidance and application forms.
The report also recommends that the Home Office consider introducing a less prescriptive approach to evidence required from applicants. The overly-detailed approach has led to an increasing number of amendments to the Rules, making them more difficult to follow. By reducing the level of detail and prescription, there is a reduced need for frequent amendment.
The recommendations would help to build trust, increase public confidence and bring reputational benefit to the UK internationally. For the Home Office, financial savings worth almost £70 million over ten years would derive from fewer mistakes and speedier decision-making, a resulting potential reduction in administrative reviews, appeals and judicial reviews, and from a system which is easier to maintain.