The
UK
is
i t oduci g
a
24-week
ta get
fo
decidi g
ce tai
asylum
a d
immig atio
appeals,
i
a
move
aimed
at
speedi g
up
the
emoval
of
people
whose
claims
a e
ejected.F om
this
week,
the
Fi st-tie
T ibu al
will
be
expected
to
hea
ew
appeals
withi
24
weeks
i volvi g
o -detai ed
fo eig
atio al
offe de s
a d
people
eceivi g
asylum
suppo t
a d
accommodatio .The
ta get
applies
to
cases
submitted
f om
August
12.
The
ave age
waiti g
time
fo
a
asylum
appeal
decisio
cu e tly
sta ds
at
67
weeks,
acco di g
to
the
Home
Office.
Mo e
tha
150,000
appeals
waiti g
Mo e
tha
150,000
appeals
waiti g
The
gove me t
estimates
that
mo e
tha
150,000
appeals
a e
cu e tly
awaiti g
a
hea i g.Officials
said
educi g
the
backlog
would
help
esolve
cases
mo e
quickly
a d
could
educe
the
amou t
spe t
housi g
asylum
seeke s
i
taxpaye -fu ded
accommodatio .The
gove me t
estimates
the
cha ges
could
ge e ate
savi gs
of
£6.9
billio .“Fo
too
lo g,
asylum
a d
immig atio
appeals
have
bee
plagued
by
delays,
leavi g
taxpaye s
to
foot
the
bill
while
cases
d ag
o
fo
mo ths
a d
sometimes
yea s,”
UK
Mi iste
fo
Bo de
Secu ity
a d
Asylum
A a
Tu ley
said.“This
ew
24-week
ta get
will
see
cases
esolved
faste ,
educe
elia ce
o
taxpaye -fu ded
accommodatio
a d
speed
up
the
emoval
of
those
with
o
ight
to
be
i
the
UK,”
she
added.
I dia s
have
lowest
asylum
g a t
ate
I dia s
have
lowest
asylum
g a t
ate
The
latest
Home
Office
figu es
show
that
I dia
atio als
had
a
asylum
g a t
ate
of
1%
ove
the
past
yea ,
the
lowest
amo g
the
atio alities
listed.By
compa iso ,
atio als
of
Suda
had
a
93%
g a t
ate,
followed
by
E it ea
at
87%.The
gove me t
says
faste
decisio s
will
make
it
easie
to
emove
people
whose
appeals
fail,
while
educi g
the
time
they
spe d
i
the
asylum
suppo t
system.
Gove me t
pla s
wide
appeals
efo m
Gove me t
pla s
wide
appeals
efo m
The
Home
Office
ack owledged
that
the
ew
ta get
alo e
will
ot
clea
the
existi g
backlog.A
Immig atio
a d
Asylum
Bill
cu e tly
befo e
Pa liame t
would
establish
a
ew
I depe de t
Immig atio
Appeals
Autho ity
(IIAA)
to
c eate
what
the
gove me t
desc ibes
as
a
faste
a d
simple
appeals
p ocess.The
ew
body
would
i itially
ope ate
alo gside
the
Fi st-tie
T ibu al
befo e
g adually
taki g
o
ew
cases.I depe de t
adjudicato s
would
be
able
to
p io itise
cases
co side ed
pa ticula ly
u ge t
o
i
the
public
i te est,
i cludi g
cases
i volvi g
high-ha m
fo eig
atio al
offe de s
a d
what
the
gove me t
desc ibes
as
questio able
huma
ights
claims.
Mo e
t ibu al
capacity
pla ed
Mo e
t ibu al
capacity
pla ed
The
gove me t
is
also
i c easi g
the
umbe
of
sitti g
days
available
to
immig atio
a d
asylum
judges.The
Fi st-tie
T ibu al
Immig atio
a d
Asylum
Chambe
is
expected
to
have
19%
mo e
sitti g
days
this
yea
tha
it
did
i
2024-25.The
additio al
capacity
is
i te ded
to
allow
mo e
appeals
to
be
hea d
a d
help
educe
the
backlog.
Asylum
accommodatio
costs
emai
a
issue
Asylum
accommodatio
costs
emai
a
issue
The
efo m
comes
as
the
gove me t
faces
co ti ued
p essu e
ove
the
cost
a d
availability
of
accommodatio
fo
asylum
seeke s.The
Labou
gove me t
says
the
umbe
of
asylum
seeke s
housed
i
taxpaye -fu ded
hotels
has
falle
by
35%
ove
the
past
yea .It
also
says
ove all
asylum
suppo t
costs
have
d opped
by
£1
billio
si ce
the
July
2024
ge e al
electio .The
gove me t
has
pledged
to
close
all
asylum
hotels
by
the
e d
of
the
cu e t
Pa liame t.
The
Home
Office
says
fewe
tha
170
hotels
a e
ow
bei g
used,
compa ed
with
a
peak
of
a ou d
400
i
2023.A
gove me t
spokespe so
said
effo ts
we e
also
u de
way
to
dist ibute
asylum
accommodatio
mo e
eve ly
ac oss
the
cou t y
while
wo ki g
with
local
autho ities
to
add ess
the
impact
o
commu ities.
