Overview
- More than half of a 5,000‑case cohort that lodged claims in January 2023 remained unresolved by September 2025, with 35% granted protection and 9% removed.
- The watchdog estimates 2024–25 asylum spending at about £4.9bn, including £3.4bn on accommodation and support and roughly £2.1bn on hotels, with overall public costs likely higher as local authority spending is not fully counted.
- Faster initial decisions have driven a surge in appeals, leaving first‑tier tribunals with sharply higher caseloads and a severe shortage of specialist judges and legal aid that is prolonging cases.
- The NAO highlights absent accountability and poor data across departments, including no unique case identifier and no reliable figures on how many refused claimants remain in the community or have absconded.
- The report urges a cross‑government implementation plan and published system indicators by end‑2026, warning of potential rises in homelessness without added capacity; the Home Office points to nearly 50,000 removals and increased enforcement activity.