Asylum backlog: Previous circumstances practically cleared however new ones racking up

As the Home Office introduced it has delivered on its pledge to abolish its legacy backlog of previous asylum circumstances, knowledge launched by the division right this moment exhibits a brand new backlog of current circumstances is rising.

Back in December 2022, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to abolish the legacy backlog of asylum functions. These are asylum functions made earlier than 28 June 2022.

The newest knowledge present these functions have decreased by simply over 96,000, from 100,548 in June 2022 to 4,537 in December 2023, a fall of 95%.

However, the move backlog – functions made since 28 June 2022 – has elevated by nearly the identical quantity in that interval.

It’s grown from 924 in June 2022 to 94,062 in December 2023. That’s bigger than the capability of Wembley Stadium.

Asylum specialists have accused the federal government of manipulating the figures in an effort to meet its pledge.

Home Secretary James Cleverly informed Sky News: “Last year we processed 112,000 applications, that includes contemporary applications that have come in the year, but also that legacy backlog that we committed to clear and we have.”

Shadow residence secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned: “The asylum backlog is still nearly 100,000 cases, and we’ve still got thousands of people, record numbers of people in asylum hotels costing the taxpayer around £8m a day. So, the government’s just failing on all counts.”

The total backlog has decreased by simply 2,827 – lower than 3% – within the 18 months for the reason that finish of June 2022.

Why has the legacy backlog decreased?

These backlogs present the whole variety of asylum functions nonetheless awaiting an “initial decision” on the finish of every month.

An “initial decision” contains grants or refusals of asylum, humanitarian safety or depart to stay. The determination could also be reconsidered following an enchantment, however it’s the first and sometimes solely determination made by the Home Office on any asylum case.

Since the tip of June 2022, 130,800 preliminary selections have been made, which is sort of 4 instances greater than the 33,143 made within the earlier 18 months.

While this technically removes asylum seekers from the backlog, it would not at all times imply {that a} last determination has been made about every particular person’s destiny within the UK or in any other case.

Mr Cleverly says one large purpose why the Home Office is ready to get by means of circumstances extra rapidly is as a result of the variety of asylum case-working workers has elevated.

There are actually 2,405 full-time equal workers engaged on functions, a rise of 1,557 or 183% since June 2022.

As nicely because the rise within the variety of workers, a number of the processes seem like streamlined.

Read extra:
No 10 insists legacy asylum claims cleared – regardless of 1000’s remaining to be determined
Analysis: Govt’s personal statistics clarify Sunak’s legacy asylum backlog declare is not true

The variety of preliminary selections granted used to match intently with the variety of “substantive interviews” – a giant interview the place asylum seekers are requested about causes for claiming asylum within the UK.

From the beginning of 2020 to June 2022, there have been eight interviews carried out for each 10 selections. Now there are simply 5 interviews for each 10 selections, that means many extra selections are being made with out as a lot scrutiny as earlier than.

Application withdrawals are rising

Data on preliminary selections additionally contains withdrawn and void functions.

The rise in preliminary selections is as a result of each granted and withdrawn functions have elevated, whereas the variety of these refused has elevated solely barely since 2020 and is considerably down in comparison with figures from earlier within the 2000s.

In the 12 months to September 2023, 17,316 functions have been withdrawn. This is a rise of 306% from 4,260 in the identical interval in 2022.

Refugee and asylum specialist Louise Calvey informed Sky News: “What we’re seeing here is the government really manipulating these figures in order to have headlines that it’s met a pledge.

“What it isn’t doing is delivering actual change to our asylum system and asylum processing.

“Actually, the way that it’s approached this backlog is going to make the problem so much worse moving forward, because now those people, those 17,000 people who have had their claim withdrawn, are going to have to find a solicitor, have to put an appeal in, or further representation or different form of legal challenge.”

Mr Cleverly informed Sky News why he thought folks have been dropping out of the asylum system. He mentioned: “People think they’re going to be unsuccessful.

“Sometimes they slip out of the system, generally they return residence, generally they slip into illicit working, which is among the the reason why we have elevated the variety of raids on unlawful employment.”

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