The UK Government continues to enforce its legal authority to deprive individuals of British citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981.

According to official guidance published on GOV.UK, the Home Secretary may remove citizenship from individuals if it is deemed “conducive to the public good” or if the citizenship was obtained fraudulently, which includes deception or withholding any information in a previous application.

Grounds for Deprivation

Under Section 40 of the British Nationality Act 1981, there are two primary grounds for deprivation:

• Public Good: If the Home Secretary deems it in the interest of national security or public safety, citizenship can be revoked—provided the individual is not rendered stateless, except under specific conditions introduced in 2014. This includes cases involving terrorism, serious organised crime, or war crimes.
• Fraud or Misrepresentation: Citizenship may also be withdrawn if it was granted based on false information or concealed facts.

What Happens and what you need to do?

If the Home Office decides to take away your British citizenship, they will write to you with detail of why they believe your citizenship should be taken away. The Home Office will provide you an opportunity to submit grounds or mitigating factors why they should not take away your citizenship.

You should make sure at this stage you provide proper grounds in support of your case, Visa and Migration Ltd can assist you with preparation of such grounds. It is important to have good arguments because you may be able to avoid any further damage in terms of time and finances, as the Home Office may refuse the grounds and provide you a right to appeal, if you have raised Human Rights arguments.

It is also possible that at this stage your case may be closed and your British citizenship be reinstated.

Right to Appeal

Despite the government’s strengthened position, individuals subject to deprivation still retain the right to appeal. These appeals are sometimes handled by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), which deals with sensitive cases involving classified intelligence and national security assessments.

Recent Policy Updates

In October 2024, the Home Office revised its internal caseworker guidance in line with the UK’s 2023 Serious Organised Crime Strategy. These revisions clarified when deprivation should not normally be pursued—particularly in lower-level fraud cases that lack intent to deceive.

Between 2010 and 2022, over 200 individuals were stripped of British nationality, most often for national security reasons.

A Home Office spokesperson previously stated:

“Deprivation of citizenship is a last resort measure, used only in the most serious cases. The UK complies fully with its obligations under the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.”

What if my citizenship is taken away?

If your British citizenship is taken away, you may be granted a stay on the basis of your private life or family life, however, where there are serious criminality or national security concerns, there have to be strong reasons to grant you leave and tip the balance in your favour. This depends on case to case basis.

Conclusion

The UK’s legal authority to revoke citizenship remains firmly in place, supported by legislation and regularly updated policy guidance. While controversial, government sources assert that the policy is essential for protecting national interests in a complex global security environment, it is always better to present your case robustly as this may be the last change to retain your British citizenship.