Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will establish a new Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) to accelerate asylum appeal decisions and reduce the backlog of cases awaiting hearings. The IIAA will prioritise high-risk foreign offenders, human rights claims deemed without merit, and last-ditch modern slavery claims.
New Single Appeal Route by Late 2027
The new system, expected to be operational by late 2027, will create a single appeal route. Currently, asylum seekers can appeal a rejected claim and then bring further claims about fresh matters before removal, leading to delays. The average case clearance time is 61 weeks, with over 150,000 immigration and asylum appeals pending. Officials stated the current system cannot sustainably manage this caseload.
Mahmood's Statement on the Overwhelmed System
Ms Mahmood said: “Today, our appeals tribunal is overwhelmed. As a result, people are gaming the system, lodging vexatious appeals to frustrate their removal. Our new appeals body will ensure claims are heard swiftly and fairly. Those with a legitimate claim will get their hearing. Those who have no right to remain in this country, and are abusing the system, will be swiftly removed.”
Part of Controversial Immigration Bill
The IIAA is part of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, expected in Parliament this week. The legislation aims to remove obstacles to deportations, with Ms Mahmood arguing existing laws are open to abuse and undermine confidence. The reforms, facing potential opposition from some Labour MPs, include restrictions on using the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to prevent deportations by narrowing family rules, and stricter age checks to identify adults posing as unaccompanied children entitled to local authority support.
Safe and Legal Routes for Refugees
Over the weekend, the Home Secretary pledged to open new safe and legal routes for refugees to win support from Labour MPs. These include a Canada-style sponsorship scheme allowing communities and “trusted universities” to vouch for refugees, and an employer-led work scheme.
Background of Asylum System Crisis
A scathing report from the Public Accounts Committee earlier this month described an asylum system in crisis. The Home Office admitted some asylum seekers had vanished without trace after their applications were rejected. The report also warned that local authorities had no meaningful say about where people are housed. Despite Keir Starmer's pledge to shut asylum hotels before the end of this Parliament, the report said the Government had no clear plan for moving claimants out of hotels.
Use of Ex-Military Barracks
Last week, the Home Office announced plans to increase use of ex-military barracks to house asylum seekers, including MOD Bicester in Oxfordshire, RAF Barnham in Suffolk, and RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire. Ministers also plan to extend use of existing asylum sites in Crowborough until 2030 and Wethersfield beyond 2027. Human rights groups have raised concerns. Kamena Dorling, Director of Policy at Helen Bamber Foundation, previously said: “We have repeatedly shown through clinical evidence that housing people in ex-military sites like RAF Wethersfield causes profound and long-lasting harm to their mental and physical health.”
