The UK government has introduced a new 24-week target for asylum and immigration appeals, in a move aimed at tackling the country’s growing tribunal backlog, reducing the cost of taxpayer-funded accommodation and accelerating the removal of people who are ultimately found to have no legal right to remain in the country.
The new target took effect on 12 August 2026 and applies to new appeals lodged with the First-tier Tribunal by non-detained foreign national offenders (FNOs) and people receiving asylum support and accommodation.
Under the new arrangement, the tribunal is expected to hear cases within 24 weeks of receiving an appeal—a significant reduction from the current average waiting time of 67 weeks for a case to be decided by a judge. The government says the change is intended to cut waiting times by more than a third and prevent lengthy appeals from keeping people in limbo for months or even years.
The reform comes as pressure mounts over the scale of the appeals backlog. More than 150,000 appeals are currently awaiting a hearing, according to the government, highlighting the challenge facing the tribunal system.
Ministers argue that faster decisions could also have wider financial implications. Where an appeal is unsuccessful and the individual has no right to remain in the UK, a quicker determination could allow removal proceedings to begin sooner, while freeing accommodation used to house asylum seekers and reducing associated public expenditure. The government estimates the wider measures could contribute to taxpayer savings of around £6.9 billion.
The announcement forms part of a broader overhaul of the UK’s immigration and asylum system. The government’s proposed Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) is expected to operate alongside the existing First-tier Tribunal for several years, gradually taking on new cases while efforts continue to clear the existing backlog.
The new authority is intended to provide a simpler and faster route for determining immigration appeals.
The move also comes amid wider government efforts to reduce reliance on asylum hotels and other costly forms of accommodation.
The Home Office said on 12 August that another 13 hotels had been closed and returned to local communities, bringing the number of asylum hotels still in use to fewer than 160.
The government sees the 24-week target as an important step towards a faster and more efficient appeals system. However, its success will ultimately depend on whether the tribunal system has the capacity to meet the target while ensuring that cases continue to receive fair and thorough consideration.
