The immigration appeals system is under immense pressure. According to the most recent statistics from the Tribunal, there are now 139,000 open cases in the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber. More than 80,000 of these are asylum and protection appeals, involving roughly 105,000 people (the rest of the appeals are human rights or EEA/free movement cases). These appeals are now taking 63 weeks on average to be cleared, which is more than a year. This means the asylum/protection appeal backlog has almost doubled since the end of 2024, when it was around 42,000 cases. We also know from our communities that many people are having to go through this process without a lawyer.

As part of attempts to speed up the process and reduce the number of cases waiting for an appeal hearing, the government is introducing changes to how appeals are processed. This includes introducing a 24-week statutory timescale and a proposed new Independent Appeals Body which we explain in more detail in our blog here. 

What is the 24-week rule and why is it important? 

As part of the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Act 2025, which became law in December 2025, new rules were introduced under Section 49 and Section 50. These say that some appeals are supposed to be decided within 24 weeks, which is about 6 months, from the day after the appeal is made.

It does not apply to every asylum appeal. 

The new rules will apply to:

1. People who are receiving money and housing from the Home Office (asylum support) when they submit their appeal
2. People who are not in immigration detention but the Government is trying to deport them because of a criminal offence. 

On the surface, a faster appeal process might sound positive. But in practice, this could put even more pressure on lawyers and legal aid providers who are already chronically under-resourced. It may also mean less time for people to get advice, gather evidence and prepare their appeal properly. People without a lawyer may be at greater risk of missing deadlines or finding it harder to take part fully in the process. Some legal aid providers may also become more cautious about taking on late cases where there is simply not enough time to prepare them properly.

At the time of writing, there is no updated published tribunal guidance explaining exactly how the 24-week timetable will work in practice and when it will start. The Practice Direction is the official tribunal guidance that explains how appeal cases should be run. The most recent published one is from 1 November 2024, and we have not yet seen a newer one about the 24-week timetable. Some law firms have said they believe cases will begin from May 2026. 

The Immigration Advice Service (IAS) has published a useful explainer for legal professionals which you can read here. 

As always, we will keep sharing updates as we understand more about how these changes affect our communities and what action can be taken together.

We will be holding a Radical Solidarity Hub meeting  Wednesday 29 April, 11am – 12.30pm, on Zoom, where we will focus on asylum appeals. This session will provide a space to think about what the new 24-week timetable for certain asylum appeals could mean in practice, alongside the Home Office’s call for evidence on a new Independent Appeals Body. We also want to use the time to listen to our communities about where unrepresented appellants are struggling most, and see how we can find solutions together.