Although Rishi Sunak promised to clear the legacy backlog, the Home Office has not yet made decisions on thousands of asylum applications from before June 2022.
The government is offering caseworkers monetary rewards to meet the prime minister’s goal of resolving 92,000 cases by June 2022. However, the department stated on Monday that 4,500 complicated cases from the backlog still require additional scrutiny.
Authorities have reported that 86,800 determinations have been reached as a result of increased government processing efforts and the deployment of 1,200 additional caseworkers.
In December of 2022, Sunak made a promise to address the remaining backlog of asylum cases by the end of 2023. This backlog consisted of over 92,000 individuals who had applied for asylum prior to June 28, 2022 and were awaiting a decision.
The Home Office released a statement on Monday stating that all cases have been evaluated and a total of 112,000 decisions have been reached. However, 4,500 cases that are more intricate have been identified and will undergo further scrutiny or investigation before a final decision can be made.
“These challenging scenarios often involve minors seeking asylum, in which age verification is necessary, individuals with severe medical conditions, or those with potential prior convictions that could prevent them from being granted asylum.”
A press release announced that the prime minister has successfully fulfilled their promise to clear the backlog of legacy asylum cases.
According to a source from the Conservative party, the Home Office’s assertion that they have resolved the backlog is incorrect. The source stated, “Either all cases have been resolved and decisions made, or they have not. And in this case, they have not.”
According to Enver Solomon, who is the CEO of the Refugee Council, the government’s claim that the legacy backlog has been resolved is not accurate. This is because there are still thousands of people waiting for a decision and an extra backlog of nearly 100,000 individuals due to the government’s unjust and harsh new laws. These laws, including the illegal Rwanda plan, have caused many men, women, and children to feel worried and afraid, leading to some resorting to self-harm and even suicidal thoughts.
“The Home Office has failed to keep track of numerous individuals who were removed from the asylum process, while also abandoning those who have obtained refugee status, leaving them vulnerable to sleeping on the streets during the winter season.”
As the deadline neared, bonuses were given to asylum caseworkers handling legacy claims. In the month of November, caseworkers could earn £75 for their first extra shift, £100 for their second, and £125 for their third, all paid in vouchers.
During the month of December, the Home Office increased the overtime rate for two weekends, resulting in a worker receiving £150 worth of vouchers per shift in addition to their regular pay.
According to sources, numerous requests for asylum from the previous backlog have been rejected with the understanding that they will be refiled but will not be considered part of the backlog. Instead, they will be classified as “secondary asylum cases”.
A source from the Home Office claimed that this was equivalent to manipulating the data. They explained: “Numerous cases are dismissed due to claimants not completing questionnaires on schedule or not showing up for an interview. Their forms will be resubmitted and the claims will be reassigned, no longer contributing to the previous backlog. It appears to be a method of manipulating the data in order to meet the Prime Minister’s goal.”
The Home Office has been asked for a breakdown of the number of cases that were legacy cases and are now “secondary asylum casework”.
The Home Office views clearing the legacy asylum backlog as a crucial measure in achieving the government’s goal of halting boat crossings. The latest end-of-year data revealed a 36% decrease in small boat crossings in 2023.
Sunak stated that by resolving the long-standing backlog of asylum cases, which has amounted to over 112,000, significant savings are being made for taxpayers by avoiding costly hotel expenses. This also relieves pressure on public services and ensures that the most vulnerable individuals receive the appropriate assistance.
However, we must not become too satisfied. That is why I am dedicated to fulfilling my promise to put an end to boat arrivals and launch flights to Rwanda.
Source: theguardian.com
