(UNITED KINGDOM) The Labour government has begun a wide reset of the UK’s asylum system, aiming to cut the backlog, end hotel use, and raise decision quality after record-high claims. In the year ending March 2025, the UK received 109,343 asylum claims, up 17% on the year—an all-time high, according to Home Office data.
As of 31 March 2025, the backlog stood at 78,745 cases covering 109,536 people, down 8% since Labour took office, yet 61.5% of people in the queue had waited more than six months. Ministers say reforms will move faster through Parliament this year, but the scale of the challenge remains clear: costs have surged, appeals are rising, and thousands still live in hotels.
Political positioning and immediate actions
Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged a fairer and more efficient asylum system and later apologized for the “Island of Strangers” remark that drew criticism from refugee groups and MPs. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is set to brief Parliament on next steps, with a focus on cutting hotel use, fixing slow decision-making, and tightening some family reunion rules.
The Conservative opposition, led on this issue by Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, argues Labour’s changes are too slow and fail to address the scale of irregular arrivals across the Channel.
Key early moves by Labour:
– Ending the Rwanda deportation scheme and closing the Bibby Stockholm barge.
– Introducing new legislation: the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which removes previous powers for indefinite child detention and rolls back other restrictive measures.
– Operational measures: hiring more caseworkers, introducing written questionnaires for certain cases, and trialing a longer “move-on” period for newly recognized refugees (the 56-day window).
Officials say the 56-day move-on period has reduced homelessness and destitution among new status holders.
Decision-making, quality and appeals
Decision quality and speed remain weak points.
Important statistics:
– Only 49% of initial decisions in the year to March 2025 granted asylum or other leave, down from 61% the year before.
– Internal Home Office checks found just 52% of decisions met quality standards.
– Appeals have surged: 36,552 appeals in 2024, up from 21,339 in 2023.
Impacts of weak decision quality:
– More appeals add pressure to courts and extend uncertainty for applicants.
– Cases overturned or remitted lengthen the cycle and increase costs.
– Caseworker capacity, training, supervision, and trauma-informed interviewing are essential to improving quality—not just hiring alone.
Planned measures to address appeals and quality:
1. Create a new independent body to accelerate appeals for failed applicants.
2. Expand training on country evidence and legal reasoning.
3. Build feedback loops from appeals back to caseworker guidance.
Accommodation pressures and hotel use
Accommodation is a major flashpoint.
Snapshot (June 2025):
– 106,075 asylum seekers receiving support.
– 32,059 (30%) in hotels.
Trends:
– Hotel usage is 43% below the September 2023 peak but 8% higher than June 2024, showing gains are fragile and can reverse as inflows rise or dispersal slows.
Challenges to ending hotel use:
– Councils need funding, properties, and lead time.
– Regional disparities, local protests, and limited school/health capacity affect dispersal.
– Families in hotels face lack of kitchens, crowded rooms, and difficulty settling children in school.
Labour’s aim is to end hotel use entirely, but delivering stable long-term housing across regions will take time and resources.
Costs and Treasury pressure
Financial pressures are a core driver of reforms.
- The asylum system cost £5.4 billion in 2023/24, more than double the spend in 2021/22.
- Much of the cost growth comes from hotel contracts and support services.
- Treasury officials view reductions in the backlog as direct savings because fewer people in limbo reduces nightly accommodation bills and speeds transitions into housing and work.
Policy levers Labour is using to reduce costs:
– Shrink the queue.
– Improve first-time decision quality to reduce appeals.
– End reliance on hotels by increasing dispersal capacity and moving people into regular housing.
Policy changes under Labour (operational and family rules)
Labour’s policy stance:
– Remove some of the harsh measures introduced by previous legislation while pursuing faster decisions and quicker removals for those refused.
– Reverse elements of the Illegal Migration Act that had slowed decisions and complicated eligibility.
Key operational changes:
– Hiring more caseworkers and expanding training.
– Using written questionnaires for certain claims to speed throughput.
– Launching the 56-day move-on period for newly recognized refugees.
– Planning a new independent body to speed appeals for failed applicants.
Family reunion review:
– Considering stricter English language requirements and higher financial thresholds for family reunion.
– Refugee groups warn tighter rules can split families and slow integration, particularly for those with limited savings or interrupted schooling.
Safe routes and specific schemes:
– No new “safe routes” were announced in 2024–2025.
– Afghan schemes (ACRS and ARAP) were quietly closed, even though Afghans were the largest group crossing the Channel during this period.
Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests reversing Illegal Migration Act barriers is central to reducing the backlog because it allows the Home Office to decide more cases instead of pausing them in legal limbo.
Impact on applicants and system capacity
Time is the most painful issue for applicants:
– 61.5% wait more than six months for an initial decision, worsening mental health and blocking work and family stability.
– Weekly support of £9.95 is frequently cited by advocacy groups as inadequate and contributing to destitution.
– Advocates urge allowing the right to work after six months (current rule: 12 months). Ministers have not changed this, focusing instead on faster decisions.
Decision-quality implications:
– With only 52% of decisions meeting quality checks, appeals rise, causing delays and additional costs.
– Training, supervision, and better guidance for caseworkers are crucial to reduce error rates.
Accommodation capacity and dispersal:
– Some councils can repurpose local housing quickly; others cannot.
– Regional dispersal must consider school places, GP capacity, and community support.
– The 43% reduction from the 2023 hotel peak shows progress, but the 8% rise since June 2024 shows the system can slip back.
Cost interdependencies:
– Every delayed decision is another night in paid accommodation.
– Every appeal adds legal costs and extends housing needs.
– The £5.4 billion 2023/24 bill explains why Treasury and the Home Office are aligned on clearing backlogs.
Debate and outlook
Political debate:
– Opposition: Labour’s approach is too incremental; Channel crossings and rising claims (e.g., 23,135 in Q1 2025, 5% above Q1 2024) require stronger deterrence.
– Refugee organisations: Without safe routes, dangerous crossings will continue; fair, fast processing plus resettlement are needed.
– Academics: Long waits and blocked employment hinder integration, producing worse outcomes even for those eventually granted protection.
What would make reforms effective:
– Passing the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (target: late 2025).
– Delivering appeals reform by 2026, including a faster, trusted appeals track.
– Strengthening first-time decision quality so fewer cases are appealed.
– Sustained reductions in hotel use and backlog month by month.
If these conditions are met, the system could reduce human harm and costs. If decision quality lags and appeals rise, problems and expenses will persist.
“The policy test is whether the asylum system can move at a pace that matches the scale of claims without losing fairness.”
Practical guidance for applicants
The Home Office provides official instructions on support rates, dispersal housing, and application steps. See the UK government’s Home Office asylum support guidance for current rules, eligibility, and how to apply:
– https://www.gov.uk/asylum-support
Advocates recommend applicants:
– Keep copies of all documents.
– Respond to written questionnaires on time.
– Attend scheduled interviews.
– Seek legal advice when possible, especially as appeals pathways change.
Final assessment
Ministers aim to balance control and compassion: quicker removals for those refused, and stable outcomes and routes into work and housing for those granted protection.
Measurable signs to watch in the coming months:
– Continued fall in the backlog.
– Month-by-month declines in hotel use.
– A drop in appeals as initial decision quality improves.
Stakeholders’ immediate asks:
– Councils want funding and guarantees for housing and services.
– Refugee groups want safe routes and the right to work after six months.
– The opposition wants tougher border controls.
– Thousands inside the system want a clear decision, safe housing, and a chance to rebuild.
In a year of record claims and high scrutiny, the Labour government’s reset will be judged by the day-by-day numbers—whether backlog, appeals, and hotel occupancy fall, or whether decision-quality issues and cost pressures continue to drive the system.
This Article in a Nutshell
Labour has begun a comprehensive reset of the UK asylum system after record claims and sharply rising costs. In the year to March 2025 there were 109,343 asylum claims (up 17%), a backlog of 78,745 cases covering 109,536 people on 31 March 2025, and substantial hotel use—32,059 people in hotels in June 2025. Key reforms include new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration legislation, hiring more caseworkers, a 56-day move-on trial, written questionnaires and plans for an independent appeals body. Decision quality is a major issue: only 49% of initial decisions granted protection and internal checks found 52% met quality standards, coinciding with 36,552 appeals in 2024. Costs reached £5.4bn in 2023/24, largely from accommodation and support. Success depends on faster, higher-quality decisions, passing the bill, reducing the backlog and ending hotel reliance while balancing fairness and removals.
