The number left when appellants appealed against rejected asylum applications for rejected asylum applications has risen nearly 500% over two years, putting new pressure on taxpayers.
Figures released by the Department of Justice show that at the end of 2024 there were 41,987 asylum appeals in the court court backlog, which rose from 7,133 in the beginning of 2023.
In the final three months of 2024, 12,183 appeals have been filed following measures taken to resume asylum decision-making when the Labour Government took office.
The total number of asylum applications for decisions filed in 2024 with first-tier courts increased by 71% the previous year.
This follows an increase in denials as the grant rate for asylum seekers fell to 47% in 2024. According to the charity, the Department of Home Affairs' efforts to clear the asylum backlog by hiring new caseworkers and shortening initial interviews have increased errors and omissions.
Refugee Council CEO Ember Solomon said there was no new backlog in another part of the system as he said there was more needed to ensure correct initial decisions.
“Resolving cases of asylum can help reduce costs and get stuck in hotels where the number of people trapped in Limbo, the ability to work or continue their lives. The use of hotels in communities across the country is a detrimental symbol of government failure and has become a flashpoint for community tensions. A clear plan is needed to stop hotel use by the end of this year,” he said.
By the end of 2024, the hotel housed 38,079 people, official figures show. The Refugee Council estimates that if these figures remain the same throughout 2025, annual costs could reach nearly £1.5 billion.
Asylum decision makers have denounced the rules Rishi Snack introduced as an increase in asylum appeals.
In a hurry to fulfill his pledge to clear 90,000 asylum claims by the end of 2023, the former Prime Minister introduced rules to shorten the training period for staff, giving a two-hour limit for interviews.
Since the introduction by conservative governments prior to the 2022 Border and Border Act, more claims have also been denied, which has increased the standard for refugee status.
The shortage of immigration lawyers adds to the long delay in the outcome of asylum appeals. This led to many cases being postponed or the individuals having decided to represent themselves. This usually resulted in hearing six times longer than a legal representative's hearing.
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At Yvette Cooper's home office, the number of people who received their first decision in the latest quarter, from October to December 2024, has more than double the number in the past three months.
MOJ has annual recruitment of approximately 1,000 judges and court members in all courts and courts. Prime Minister Shabana Mahmoud announced in November that he had risen by a minimum of 10% in civil legal aid rate for those working in the immigration sector.
A government spokesman said the asylum claims were considered on a case-by-case basis.
“The asylum system we inherited is not suitable for purpose, so we are taking urgent action to resume asylum processing and clear the case backlog, which will save an estimated £4 billion over the next two years.
