Recommendation 1

Home Office data shows that approximately 65% of asylum applicants awaiting initial decisions had been waiting more than six months and that the average time to make an initial decision is now more than a year. This is clearly concerning. Delays can have a significant adverse impact on the wellbeing and mental health of asylum applicants (which is protected by Articles 3 and 8 ECHR), and whilst awaiting decisions they are generally not permitted to work, begin the family reunification process and cannot access the entitlements guaranteed in the Refugee Convention. To reduce the adverse impacts on individuals awaiting decisions the Home Office should give serious consideration to the UNHCR’s recommendations to introduce a triaging and prioritization system, simplify case processing procedures and frontload the asylum system and make clear how it plans to streamline and shorten the asylum decision-making process.