UK asylum appeal backlog doubles to record 80,333, average wait 63 weeks
Mar 12th 2026
Ministry of Justice data shows asylum appeals nearly doubled in a year to 80,333 and average waits climbed to 63 weeks, increasing pressure over the use of hotels and the government pledge to end hotel accommodation by 2029.
- Backlog rose to 80,333 appeals at the end of 2025, up from 41,987 a year earlier.
- Average waiting time for an asylum appeal increased to 63 weeks from 48 weeks in 2024.
- 30,657 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels at the end of December while awaiting decisions.
- The Refugee Council estimates the outstanding appeals correspond to more than 100,000 people when family members are included.
- The appeals backlog is now larger than the backlog of cases waiting for an initial Home Office decision.
- 100,625 people claimed asylum in the year to December, and 41% of them arrived by small boats.