Asylum cases backlog hits new record in UK

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) – The backlog of asylum seeker cases in Britain has hit a new record high, with more than 175,000 applications, according to Home Office figures released on Thursday.

The report revealed that a total of 175,457 people were waiting for a decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of June 2023, a 44% increase from the end of June 2022.

This was also the highest since current records began in 2010.

Meanwhile, the number of people waiting more than six months for an initial decision stood at 139,961 at the end of June, up 57% year-on-year from 89,231 and another record high.

The backlog has become one of the issues bringing backlash to the government's asylum policies, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has set a target of clearing the backlog by the end of 2023.

The UK also saw a dramatic increase in the number of worker visas issued in the past year, with a 63% rise over the previous 12 months, implying that 538,887 people have arrived to work in the country.

Sharing figures on X, formerly known as Twitter, advocacy group Refugee Action said the huge backlog is the result of the government's "hostile environment," and it is causing "immense suffering to refugees who just want to get on with their lives."​​​​​​​