As it currently takes, on average, more than a year to reach a decision on asylum appeals, the government plans to set up a new independent panel focused on asylum appeals to help reduce the backlog
A new fast-track appeals system for asylum seekers will be introduced to speed up deportations and reduce delays that ministers say are “completely unacceptable”, the Home Secretary has announced.
Yvette Cooper said the government would establish an independent panel of professionally trained adjudicators to handle asylum appeals, replacing the existing reliance on judges in the overburdened tribunal system. The reforms are aimed at cutting the backlog of cases that has left thousands of people waiting years for decisions on whether they can remain in the United Kingdom.
At present, it takes more than a year on average for an asylum appeal to be resolved, with around 51,000 cases currently waiting to be heard. Ministers say this prolonged process means many failed asylum seekers remain in the country indefinitely, unable to be returned and continuing to draw on public support.
Under the changes, a new 24-week deadline will be introduced for the first-tier tribunal to determine asylum appeals lodged by individuals receiving accommodation support, as well as by foreign offenders. The government argues the current tribunal system, which deals with a wide range of cases beyond asylum, is too slow and ill-suited to handle urgent deportation matters or appeals from people who have come from countries deemed safe.
Speaking about the overhaul, Cooper said the asylum system she inherited was “in complete chaos”, with delays and inefficiencies leaving both taxpayers and communities bearing the burden.
She said: “We inherited an asylum system in complete chaos with a soaring backlog of asylum cases and a broken appeals system with thousands of people in the system for years on end. That is why we are taking practical steps to fix the foundations and restore control and order to the system.
“We are determined to substantially reduce the number of people in the asylum system as part of our plan to end asylum hotels. Already since the election, we have reduced the backlog of people waiting for initial decisions by 24% and increased failed asylum returns by 30%. But we cannot carry on with these completely unacceptable delays in appeals which mean failed asylum seekers stay in the system for years at huge cost to the taxpayer.”
The announcement comes amid ongoing controversy over the use of hotels to accommodate migrants while their cases are processed. Local communities have protested against what they see as the unfair strain placed on services, while the Home Office faces pressure to find alternatives to costly temporary accommodation.
Cooper said the new system would be “swift, fair and independent, with high standards in place” to ensure that legitimate asylum seekers receive proper consideration, while those with no right to remain are removed promptly.
The government insists that adjudicators working in the new panel will be professionally trained and independent, but critics are expected to raise concerns that replacing judges with adjudicators could weaken legal safeguards for appellants. Refugee and human rights groups have long argued that speeding up processes without proper protections risks sending vulnerable people back to unsafe situations.
Official statistics released earlier this month underline the scale of the challenge. In the year to June 2025, a total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK — the highest number recorded in any 12-month period since records began in 2001. The figures also reveal that thousands of asylum seekers remain in limbo for extended periods, with many stuck in temporary housing or relying on state support while their appeals are unresolved.
The backlog of appeals is seen as one of the biggest obstacles to reforming the system. While ministers have had some success in reducing the number of people awaiting initial decisions, the lengthy appeals process has continued to undermine efforts to deport those with rejected claims.
The Home Office believes that the introduction of deadlines and a separate adjudication process will significantly accelerate removals, particularly in cases involving individuals from countries regarded as safe or where claims have already been comprehensively assessed.
However, questions remain about the capacity of the new system to cope with the sheer volume of cases. Critics point out that the government has made similar pledges in the past to speed up asylum processes, but delays have persisted due to resource shortages, legal challenges and logistical barriers to returning individuals to their countries of origin.
Cooper acknowledged the challenges ahead but insisted the reforms would provide a more sustainable framework: “We need a system that works for everyone — that gives protection to those who genuinely need it, but that does not allow endless appeals and unacceptable delays to undermine public confidence. This is about restoring fairness, control and efficiency.”
The reforms form part of a broader immigration strategy aimed at reducing reliance on hotels, clearing the backlog, and strengthening enforcement of removals. Ministers say these measures are vital both to ensure fairness to genuine asylum seekers and to reduce costs to the public purse.
The success of the new fast-track appeals panel, however, is likely to depend on how quickly it can be staffed, resourced and made operational — and on whether it can withstand the legal scrutiny that will inevitably follow its introduction.
For now, the Home Office hopes the announcement will signal a turning point in the effort to regain control over an asylum system that has long been described as “broken”.
