Asylum appeal backlog at record high, new figures show

BBC

The backlog of asylum appeal cases has reached a new record high, according to Ministry of Justice figures.

Nearly 87,500 appeals to overturn failed asylum applications had been lodged at the end of March 2026 - a 70% year-on-year increase.

While the government has sharply reduced the backlog of cases awaiting an initial decision, the number of appeals to be resolved has risen, meaning the overall asylum caseload remains higher than when Labour took office.

Cabinet minister Hilary Benn told the BBC on Thursday the government had "dealt with the backlogs, we're now processing asylum claims much much quicker".

The government has cut the number of outstanding asylum cases awaiting a first decision. At the end of March there were 35,744, down from 85,839 just before Labour took office in June 2024.

However, that reduction has been more than offset by a rise in appeals, pushing the total backlog to 123,194 cases. That is around 4,000 more than the 119,066 total cases outstanding in June 2024.

While the total backlog remains higher than June 2024, it has fallen over recent quarters and down from the peak of 141,647 in June 2023 under the previous Conservative government.

The Home Office said: "These figures reflect the progress this government has made in tackling the asylum backlog, with the number of people waiting for an initial decision falling by 72% since June 2023."

It went on to say the government is carrying out reforms to speed up the appeals process and "ensure those with no right to be here cannot delay their removal".

Peter Walsh from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford told BBC Verify one backlog was being shifted to another.

"The government has been processing initial claims faster and the initial decision grant rate is lower than it's been for some time," he said.

"Many more refusals attract a right of appeal and that's why you see the number shifting from one backlog to another."

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Walsh added that tackling these backlogs is important because they cost the government money as asylum seekers are not allowed to work and must rely on state support.

"Labour is introducing a new appeals system where appeals will be heard not by a judge, but by an independent adjudicator. So they're hoping that will increase the throughput of the appeals system."

In the same interview, Benn incorrectly said the government had "deported nearly 70,000 people that have no right to be here".

That is not correct because the figure refers to all "returns", as defined by the Home Office, not deportations alone.

Home Office statistics show there were 67,188 returns between July 2024 and March 2026. These include people who left the UK voluntarily as well as those who were removed by the authorities.

A "deportation" is a specific type of "enforced return" used for criminals or people whose removal would be in the public interest.

Of the total, 16,476 were classified as "enforced" while the majority - 50,712 - were "voluntary" returns.

While some voluntary returns involve government help, including financial assistance, past data shows many people leave the UK without officials knowing.

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