LONDON, United Kingdom – The United Kingdom government introduced a new 24-week target for asylum and immigration appeal decisions on August 12, 2026.
Okay News reports that the UK Home Office issued a statement directing the First-tier Tribunal to process appeals involving non-detained foreign national offenders and individuals receiving asylum support within 24 weeks of receipt.
The government stated the current average wait for a case to be decided by a judge is 67 weeks, with more than 150,000 appeals waiting to be heard. 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.”
Turley said, “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 government stated that the Immigration and Asylum Bill is expected to create an Independent Immigration Appeals Authority to provide “a simpler, faster route for deciding appeals.”
The government reported that asylum costs have fallen by £1 billion since the 2024 general election. The government said, “The government will also close every asylum hotel by the end of this parliament,” noting that fewer than 170 hotels are currently in use compared to a peak of 400 in 2023.
The government estimated that faster removals and reduced reliance on asylum accommodation will contribute to “taxpayer savings of an estimated £6.9 billion.”
