Asylum appeals target launched for faster removals

Individuals with no right to be in the UK will be able to be deported faster as the government looks to cut waiting times for asylum and immigration appeals by over a third.

As of 12 August 2026, the First-tier Tribunal will be expected to hear new asylum and immigration appeals from non-detained foreign national offenders (FNOs) and individuals in receipt of asylum support and accommodation within 24 weeks of being received by the tribunal. Currently, the average wait time for a case to be decided by a judge is 67 weeks.

This will speed up the removal of those who are unsuccessful at appeal and have no right to be in the UK, free up space in accommodation and cut costs, contributing to taxpayer savings of an estimated £6.9 billion.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Anna Turley, said:

For too long, asylum and immigration appeals have been plagued by delays, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill while cases drag on for months and sometimes years.

This new 24-week target will see cases resolved faster, reduce reliance on taxpayer-funded accommodation and speed up the removal of those with no right to be in the UK.

The 24-week target will apply to in-scope cases submitted to the First-tier Tribunal from 12 August. But, despite the work of the judiciary, over 150,000 appeals are still waiting to be heard. Wider reform is therefore needed to ensure that the system can deal with cases more quickly and prevent it from becoming a barrier to removal.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill, which passed its second reading earlier this month, will create a new Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) to provide a simpler, faster route for deciding appeals.

The IIAA will run alongside the First-tier Tribunal for several years and will gradually take on new cases to allow the tribunal to clear the existing backlog as quickly as possible. Independent adjudicators working for the IIAA will be able to prioritise the most urgent cases and those in the public interest, such as high-harm FNOs and dubious human rights claims.

Overall, asylum costs have already fallen by £1 billion since the 2024 general election. The government will also close every asylum hotel by the end of this parliament, with under 170 now in use, down from the peak of 400 in 2023.

Nearly 10,000 FNOs have also been removed, up 36% compared to the 21 months before the election. Appeals from FNOs who are detained are already prioritised by the judiciary, with the new timeframes ensuring appeals from FNOs who are not held in detention are also expediated. 

As well as the new target, the government is increasing capacity in the appeals system. This year sitting days are due to increase by 19% in the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber compared with 2024 to 2025, so more cases can be heard and decisions made faster.