UK to scrutinise last-minute asylum claims that delay deportations as 156,000 cases clog the queue

From the Newshound archive · first published 9 October 2026.

Migrants who submit last-minute protection claims to halt imminent removals are set to face heightened scrutiny under new government proposals. Where such claims are filed with no adequate reason for the delay, judges and decision-makers will be able to hold that against the applicant's credibility. Around 156,000 cases are currently backed up in the tribunal system, with asylum and protection appeals typically taking 72 weeks to get to a hearing.

Under the proposed rules, migrants facing deportation must put forward all grounds for remaining — including protection claims and any supporting evidence — before a set deadline.