Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Home Office faces stretching cost-saving targets, possibly needing additional Treasury funding.
Conclusion
The Autumn Budget 2024 set a target for the Home Office to deliver significant savings by 2026.93 Moreover, following the cancelled Rwanda scheme, the current government has promised to resume processing asylum decisions for those previously considered as inadmissible. Under the former government, the Home Office was not processing cases for people who had arrived after 7 March 2023 (as these cases were subject to provisions under the Illegal Migration Act 2023).94 We asked the Home Office about its confidence in delivering the cost savings, and it explained that these “stretching targets” will require not only finding savings within the department but also increasing its income.95 The Home Office stated its commitment to meeting savings targets and staying within budget. However, it acknowledged that if it fails to do so, it may need to seek supplementary funding from the Treasury.96