Asylum appeal backlog at record high, new figures show

The backlog of asylum appeal cases has reached a new record high, according to Ministry of Justice figures.

Nearly 87,500 appeals to overturn failed asylum applications had been lodged at the end of March 2026 - a 70% year-on-year increase.

While the government has sharply reduced the backlog of cases awaiting an initial decision, the number of appeals to be resolved has risen, meaning the overall asylum caseload remains higher than when Labour took office.

Cabinet minister Hilary Benn told the BBC on Friday the government had "dealt with the backlogs, we're now processing asylum claims much much quicker".

The government has cut the number of outstanding asylum cases awaiting a first decision. At the end of March there were 35,744, down from 85,839 just before Labour took office in June 2024.

However, that reduction has been more than offset by a rise in appeals, pushing the total backlog to 123,194 cases. That is around 4,000 more than the 119,066 total cases outstanding in June 2024.

While the total backlog remains higher than June 2024, it has fallen over recent quarters and down from the peak of 141,647 in June 2023 under the previous Conservative government.

The Home Office said: "These figures reflect the progress this government has made in tackling the asylum backlog, with the number of people waiting for an initial decision falling by 72% since June 2023."