UK asylum system is 'wasting funds' and failing, watchdog finds

The United Kingdom's asylum system is plagued by long-term backlogs, inefficiency, and the wasteful use of public funds, according to a critical report published Wednesday. The National Audit Office (NAO), an independent parliamentary body, found that 56% of a sample of 5,000 asylum claims lodged almost three years ago still await a final decision.

Chronic Delays and Short-Term Fixes

The analysis shows that since January 2023, only 35% of the claimants in that sample had received protection like refugee status, while just 9% had been removed from the UK. The NAO attributed the crisis to years of reactive, short-term government measures that have merely shifted pressure within the system instead of solving it. "This has led to inefficiencies, wasted public funds, and harm to both asylum seekers’ life chances and the government’s ability to meet its obligations," the watchdog stated.

Call for Systemic Reform and Charities React

NAO head Gareth Davies said successive governments' efforts have been "short-term and narrowly focused." He emphasized the need for better data and streamlined decision-making to clear the bottlenecks. The charity Refugee Council called the figures "shocking," stating the report reveals a system "simply not functioning." The group warned on social media that prolonged delays push people into uncertainty, poor health, and homelessness.