Overview

• The Home Office says the appeals backlog persists despite extra court sitting days and will unveil a new cadre of independent professional adjudicators to accelerate cases.
• Ministers plan to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation as part of efforts to relieve pressure on the system.
• ILPA legal director Zoe Bantleman argues restructuring will fail without repairing the broken legal aid system so unrepresented appellants can properly present evidence.
• Commentary notes appeals often take over a year with tens of thousands waiting, and high success rates on appeal suggest systemic flaws in initial Home Office decisions.
• The government is challenging an interim injunction blocking use of the Bell Hotel in Epping for placements, with the outcome still pending.