The UK government has introduced a new 24-week target for asylum appeals, aimed at cutting lengthy delays and speeding up the removal of people found to have no legal right to remain in the country.
The target took effect on 12 August and applies to new asylum and immigration appeals submitted to the First-tier Tribunal involving non-detained foreign national offenders (FNOs) and people receiving asylum support and accommodation.
The government said the current average waiting time for a case to be decided by a judge is 67 weeks. Under the new target, the First-tier Tribunal is expected to hear in-scope cases within 24 weeks of receiving them.
The Home Office announced the measure on 14 August, saying faster decisions would help unsuccessful appellants who have no right to remain leave the UK sooner, while freeing up asylum accommodation and reducing costs.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum Anna Turley said the existing appeals system had been held back by lengthy delays.
“For too long, asylum and immigration appeals have been plagued by delays, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill while cases drag on for months and sometimes years.
“This new 24-week target will see cases resolved faster, reduce reliance on taxpayer-funded accommodation and speed up the removal of those with no right to be in the UK.”
First-tier Tribunal backlog
The Home Office said the target applies to in-scope cases submitted to the First-tier Tribunal from 12 August.
More than 150,000 appeals are still waiting to be heard, despite efforts by the judiciary.
The government said wider reform was needed to ensure cases could be dealt with more quickly and prevent the appeals system from becoming a barrier to removals.
The Immigration and Asylum Bill, which passed its second reading earlier this month, is expected to introduce another major change through the creation of an Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA).
The proposed body would provide what the government describes as a simpler and faster route for deciding appeals.
The IIAA would operate alongside the First-tier Tribunal for several years before gradually taking on new cases, allowing the tribunal to work through its existing backlog.
Independent adjudicators working for the IIAA would also be able to prioritise cases based on urgency and public interest, including high-harm FNOs and what the government describes as dubious human rights claims.
UK targets asylum accommodation costs
The appeal reforms come as the government pushes to reduce the cost of supporting asylum seekers while increasing removals.
The Home Office said asylum costs have fallen by £1 billion since the 2024 general election and reiterated its commitment to ending the use of asylum hotels.
The government has pledged to close every asylum hotel by the end of the current Parliament.
On 12 August, the Home Office also announced that 13 more asylum hotels had been returned to local communities for tourism, business and other uses. The closures brought the total number of hotels closed in April, June and August to 44.
The government said fewer than 160 asylum hotels remain in use, compared with a peak of about 400 in 2023.
It also said nearly 10,000 FNOs had been removed from the UK, representing a 36% increase compared with the 21 months before the 2024 election.
Appeals involving detained FNOs are already prioritised by the judiciary. The new timeframe is intended to ensure appeals involving non-detained FNOs are also dealt with more quickly.
Tribunal capacity to increase
The government is also increasing capacity in the appeals system.
Sitting days in the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber are expected to rise by 19% this year compared with 2024-25, allowing more cases to be heard and decisions to be made sooner.
The government estimates that faster removals, reduced reliance on asylum accommodation and lower associated costs could generate taxpayer savings of £6.9 billion.
The new 24-week target forms part of wider UK government efforts to reduce the asylum appeal backlog, accelerate decisions and remove people who are found to have no right to remain in the country.
