Law firms are helping migrants remain in the United Kingdom by having them pretend to be gay so they can get asylum status.
A BBC News investigation uncovered the scheme, revealing how migrants are claiming to be homosexual so they can convince the authorities that they will be persecuted if they are sent back to their home countries.
In the first part of a major undercover investigation, we reveal how migrants whose visas are due to run out are being given fake cover stories and instructed in how to obtain fabricated evidence, including supporting letters, photographs and medical reports.
They then apply for asylum claiming to be gay and in fear for their lives if they return to Pakistan or Bangladesh.
In response to our findings, the Home Office said: "Anyone found trying to exploit the system will face the full force of the law, including removal from the UK."
The UK's asylum process offers protection to people who can't return to their home countries because they would be in danger, for example in countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh where gay sex is illegal.
But the BBC News investigation reveals the process is being systematically exploited by legal advisers extracting fees from migrants who want to stay in the country.
These are often people whose student, work or tourist visas have expired, rather than those who have just arrived in the country on small boats or through other illegal routes.
This group now makes up 35% of all asylum claims, which topped 100,000 in 2025.
“Nobody is a gay here. Not even 1% are gay. Not even 0.01% are gay.”
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) April 15, 2026
That’s what an illegal migrant attending a Worcester asylum seekers LGBT event told the BBC.
As their report shows, many are pretending to be gay to game the asylum system.
You might remember,… pic.twitter.com/MQt0zN1GN3
The investigation centered on a network of immigration advisers and legal staff who participated in the scheme. Undercover reporters posed as students from Pakistan and Bangladesh whose visas were set to expire. The advisers instructed them how to create fake stories, create fake evidence, and improve their odds with the Home Office. One individual said the chances of refusal were “very low.” Another coached their client to say, “I am a gay and it is my reality.”
BBC Expose:
— Grifty (@TheGriftReport) April 15, 2026
Legal advisers are charging migrants thousands of pounds to fake being gay and claim UK asylum.
BBC undercover probe found firms coaching overstayed visa holders (mainly from Pakistan & Bangladesh) providing fake evidence like staged gay club photos, fabricated…
One of the advisers told BBC News that she has helped migrants use this tactic for 17 years and explained how they would take photographs of the undercover reporter at LGBTQ events. She told the journalist that she “will give you a letter from someone along with which we will take a few photographs and that person will write that they have engaged in physical sex with you.”
Migrants can pay up to £2,500 for this service.
The issue is that this kind of fraud can make it harder for actual LGBTQ asylum seekers because it decreases the likelihood that the authorities will believe them. The report connects the scheme to community groups where some attendees admitted, “Nobody is gay here.”
In the United Kingdom, migrants who claim to be LGBTQ can request asylum if they say they would face physical harm or harassment in their home country. The Home Office interviews these individuals and decide whether they will be allowed to remain in the U.K. The system is meant to help people escape persecution. But these revelations could cause the agency to rethink the system.
Those who are caught using these deceptive means can face criminal penalties and possible deportation.