A 24-week target now applies to new asylum and immigration appeals from non-detained foreign national offenders and people receiving asylum support and accommodation, against a current average wait of 67 weeks.
Key facts
- Who: Non-detained foreign national offenders (FNOs) and people in receipt of asylum support and accommodation who appeal to the First-tier Tribunal
- From: 12 August 2026
- Source: Asylum appeals target launched for faster removals
The government has set a new target for the First-tier Tribunal. As of 12 August 2026, the tribunal is expected to hear certain new asylum and immigration appeals within 24 weeks of receiving them.
The target covers two groups: non-detained foreign national offenders (FNOs), and individuals in receipt of asylum support and accommodation. It applies to in-scope cases submitted to the tribunal from 12 August. Appeals from FNOs who are detained are already prioritised by the judiciary.
The government says the average wait for a case to be decided by a judge is currently 67 weeks. It says it is looking to cut waiting times for asylum and immigration appeals by over a third, and that over 150,000 appeals are still waiting to be heard.
Ministers say the aim is to speed up the removal of people who are unsuccessful at appeal and have no right to be in the UK, free up accommodation and cut costs. The government puts taxpayer savings at an estimated £6.9 billion.
Two further steps were announced. First, sitting days in the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber are due to increase by 19% this year compared with 2024 to 2025, so more cases can be heard and decided faster.
Second, the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which passed its second reading earlier in August, would create a new Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA). It would run alongside the First-tier Tribunal for several years and gradually take on new cases, so the tribunal can clear the existing backlog. Independent adjudicators working for the IIAA would be able to prioritise the most urgent cases and those in the public interest, such as high-harm FNOs and what the government calls dubious human rights claims.
What this means for people with an appeal
The 24-week target is an expectation for the First-tier Tribunal. It applies to in-scope appeals submitted from 12 August 2026 by non-detained FNOs and people in receipt of asylum support and accommodation.
The Immigration and Asylum Bill passed its second reading earlier in August. The IIAA would take on new cases gradually, alongside the First-tier Tribunal, for several years.
Sources
- Asylum appeals target launched for faster removals, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asylum-appeals-target-launched-for-faster-removals