At the start of the week, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced that a series of plans to overhaul the UK asylum system were being proposed.

 These plans, which very much remain as proposals as of right now, include 30 months of leave to remain, reduced from five years, which will only be able to be renewed if someone is still considered in need of protection.

The proposals also include a 20-year route to settlement and a cap on safe and legal pathways for people to work, study and gain sponsorship.

One group which looks after LGBTQ+ asylum seekers has spoken out about the plans, warning that they could have a ‘significant emotional impact’ on those affected, and said the government needs to ensure its measures are clear and accessible.

Over the last month, numerous reports have cited how LGBTQ+ asylum seekers around the world are seeing themselves denied entry to certain countries because of who they are. Just this week, a Dutch court rejected an American trans woman, Veronica Clifford-Carlos, after arguing that could not prove she 'systemically lacks protection or access to essential services'.

It has also been reported in the past how the Home Office’s processes often make it difficult for asylum seekers to be open about their sexuality or gender identity.

One person recently told the Mental Health Foundation charity: "For a long time I did not disclose my sexuality to the Home Office because of the fear and anxiety of having to prove my sexuality during the process."