Almost 42,000 asylum seekers in the UK are awaiting appeal hearings after having their initial claims rejected by the Home Office, according to an analysis of official figures. This marks a five-fold increase in two years, raising concerns that the government is simply shifting the asylum crisis from one part of the system to another. Meanwhile, nearly 40,000 migrants remain housed in hotels.
The Home Office has defended its handling of asylum cases, stating that it has doubled the number of initial decisions made and allocated more funding to increase court sittings. A spokesperson reiterated the government’s commitment to phasing out asylum hotels and reducing the “unacceptably high” costs associated with migrant accommodation.
The rise in refusals is partly attributed to legislation introduced by the previous Conservative government under the Nationality and Borders Act, which made it more difficult for asylum seekers to prove their refugee status. For example, in the second half of last year, only four in ten Afghan applicants were granted asylum, a significant drop from previous years when the vast majority were approved. Many of those denied asylum are now appealing their cases, and Afghans remain the largest group housed in hotels and among those arriving by small boats.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, has called for fairer and more efficient decision-making to prevent unnecessary delays and costs. He argued that getting decisions right the first time would help refugees integrate into communities while ensuring those without valid claims are removed with dignity. Without improvements, the charity warns that hotel accommodation for asylum seekers could cost £1.5 billion this year.
The government has acknowledged the backlog, describing the asylum system it inherited as “not fit for purpose.” It has pledged to speed up processing and claims that clearing the backlog could save taxpayers an estimated £4 billion over the next two years. The Ministry of Justice reported that at the end of 2024, there were 41,987 asylum appeals pending—up from just 7,173 at the start of 2023. The Refugee Council’s analysis also suggests that the number of asylum appeal applications last year rose by 71% compared to 2023.
With mounting pressure to resolve the crisis, the government faces significant challenges in balancing cost-cutting measures with fair and efficient asylum processing.
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